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2 

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12  3 

4  5  6 


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^ 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA 


oil   THE 


QUEST,  RESC;iTE,  AND   RETREAT   OF    EM  IN 
GOVERNOR    OF    EQUATORIA 


BY 


HENRY    M.  STANLEY 


WITH    TWO  STEEL   ENORAVINCJS,   AND  ONE   HUNDRED   AND 
FIFTY    ILLUSTRATIONS  AND   MAPS 


IN   TWO    VOLUMES 


Vol.    I 


"  I  will  not  vvaai'.  lo  jjfo  forward  until  I  conio  to  tlio  place  where  the  two  seai*  nuH't. 
thouiili  I  travel  ninety  years,"— Kohan,  chap,  xviii.,  v.  tVi. 


rs  f 


NEW   YORK 
CHARLES   SCRIBNER'S  SONS 

TORONTO 
PRESBYTERIAN    NEWS   COMPANY 

1890 
[All  riijhtH  reiierced\ 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  PnrlianiMit  of  Cnnndn, 
in  the  year  1890.  by 

SAMPSON  [,0W,  MARSTON,  SEARLE.  &  RIVINGTON 

Limited 

London,  England,  at  the  Department 
of  A£n°iculturu. 

COPVRIOHT,   1890,   BT 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 


I'riiiti;il  ami  lluuinl 

lly  JAMHS  MUKKAV  «:  Co. 

rORON  ro,  ONT. 


atet 


CONTENTS   OF   VOLUME  I. 


Pbefatort  Letter  to  Sir  Wilmam  Mackinnon,   Chairman  op 
the  emin  pasha  relief  expedition 


TAOI 


CHAPTER  I. 


INTRODUCTORY   CHAITER. 


The  Khedive  and  the  Soudan — Arabi  Pasha— Hicks  Pasha's  defeat — 
The  Mahdi — Sir  Evelyn  Baring  and  liord  Granville  on  the 
Soudan — Valentine  Baker  Pasha — General  Gordon  :  his  work 
in  the  Tipper  Soudan — Edward  Schnitzler  (or  Emin  Effendi 
Hakim)  and  his  Province— General  Gordon  at  Khartoum:  and 
account  of  the  Relief  Expedition  in  1884  under  Lord  Wolseley 
— Mr.  A.  M.  Mockay,  the  missionary  in  Uganda — Letters  from 
Emio  Bey  to  Mr.  Mackay,  Mr.  C.  H.  Allen,  and  Dr.  R.  W.  Felkin, 
relating  to  his  Province — Mr.  F.  Holmwood's  and  Mr.  A.  M. 
Mackay's  views  on  the  proposed  relief  of  Emin — Suggested 
routes  for  the  Emin  Relief  Expedition — Sir  Wm.  Mackinnon 
and  Mr.  J.  F.  Button— The  Relief  Fund  and  preparatory  details 
of  the  Expedition —Colonel  Sir  Francis  De  Winton — Selection  of 
oflScers  for  the  Expedition — King  Leopold  and  the  Congo  Route 
—Departure  for  Egypt      11 


CHAPTER  TT. 


EGYPT   AND   ZANZIBAR. 


Surgeon  T.  H.  Parke — Views  of  Sir  Evelyn  Baring,  Nubar  Pasha, 
Professor  Schweinfurth  and  Dr.  Junker  on  the  Emin  Relief 
Expedition — Details  relating  to  Emin  Pasha  and  his  Province — 
General  Grenfell  and  the  ammunition — Breakfast  with  Khedive 
Tewfik:  message  to  Emin  Pasha— Departure  for  Zanzibar — 
Description  of  Mombasa  town — Visit  to  the  Sultan  of  Zanzibar 
— Letter  to  Emir  Pasha  sent  by  messenger  through  Uganda — 
Arrangements  with  Tippu-Tili — Emin  Pasha's  Ivory — Mr. 
MacKenzie,  Sir  John  Pender,  and  Sir  James  Anderson's  assist- 
ance to  the  Relief  Expedition   49 


IV 


coxrrxTs. 


CHAlTKn  III. 


BY   SEA   TO   THE   CONGO    UIVKU. 


i-M-r. 


The  Sultan  of  Zaiiziliar — Tijjpii-'ril)  and  Stanley  Falls— On  l)oar(l 
8.S.  Mudurn—''  Shindy  "  ln'twcen  the  Zan/,il>aris  and  SDiulaiiese 
— Skotclies  of  my  Viirious  Otfi'-iTs — Ti|)|)U-Tili  and  Capo  Town 
— Arrival  at  the  mouth  of  the  Coii^o  itivor— Start  up  tln^ 
('  (Ufro— Visit  from  two  of  tho  Executive  Committee  of  the 
Congo  State — I'npleapant  thouj^hts 07 


CIIAPTKll  TV. 


Ti)    ST.XNLEV     pool.. 

•Details  of  tlie  journey  to  Stanley  Tool — The  Soudanese  and  tho 
Somalis— Mtetinij:  with  .A[r.  Herbert  Ward — Camp  at  Conpo  la 
Lemba— Kindly  enteitaiued  l)y  ;\[r.  and  iMrs.  Hiehards — liutters 
from  uj)  river — Letters  to  the  IJev.  Mr.  Bciitley  and  others  for 
assistance  — Arrival  at  Mwembi  -Necessity  of  enforcing  disci- 
pline—March to  Voml)!)— Inciilent  at  Lukungu  Station — The 
Zanzibaris — Incident  between  Jeplisun  niid  Salim  at  the  Inkissi 
Kiver — A  series  of  comi)laints  — llie  Hev.  Mr.  l?entley  and  the 
steamer  /Vmr^We  reach  Makoko's  village — Leopoldville — Diffi- 
culties regarding  the  use  of  the  Mission  steamers — Monsieur 
■  Liebrichts  sees  Mr.  Billington  — Visit  to  Mr.  Swinburne  at  Kin- 
■•  shassa— Orders  to,  and  duties  of,  the  officers        


Ai 


79 


CIIAPTEK  V. 

FROM   STANLEY    POOL    TO  YAMBUYA. 

Upper  Congo  scenery — Accident  to  V  ^  Peace  —  Steamers  reach 
Kimpoko— Collecting  fuel — Tlie  good-for-no.-iiug  Pewe — The 
Sf(iii/('!/  in  trouble — Arrival  at  Bolobo— The  Relief  Rxpedition 
arranged  in  two  colunuis — Major  Barttelot  and  Mr.  Jameson 
chosen  for  command  of  Kear  Column — Arrival  at  Equator  and 
Bangala  Stations — The  Basoko  village.^:  Baruti  deserts  us — 
Arrival  at  Yambuya 


99 


CHAPTER   VI. 


Ugi 


AT    YAMBUYA. 

We  land  at  Yambuya  villages — The  Stanley  leaves  for  Equator 
Station — Fears  regarding  Major  Barttelot  and  the  Henn/  Heed — 
Safe  arrival — Instructions  to  Major  Barttelot  and  Mr.  Jameson 
respecting  the  Rear  Column — JIajor  Bnrttelot's  doubts  as  to 
Tippu-Tib's  good  faith — A  long  conversation  with  Major  Bart- 
telot— Memorandum  for  the  oilicers  of  the  Advance  Column- 
Illness  of  Lieutenant  Stairs— Last  night  at  Yambuya  :  state- 
ments as  to  our  forces  and  accoutrements     Ill 


CONTEXTS. 


m^ 


CHAPTER  VII. 

TO    TANQA    FALLS. 

An  Africiui  road  -Our  mode  of  travelling  througl;  the  forests — 
Farewell  to  Jameson  and  the  3Iajor — JOO  days  in  the  forest — 
The  l{ai»ids  of  Yanihuya — Attacked  hy  natives  of  Yankonde — 
Kest  at  the  village  of  Jiahunga — Deserii)tion  of  our  march  — 
The  iK)is(jned  skewers — Capture  of  six  J^ahali  -Dr.  Parke  and 
the  bees — A  tenii)est  in  the  forest — Mr.  Jejihson  puts  tlut  steel 
lioat  together— The  village  of  Pukanda — Hefuse  heaps  of  tlio 
villages— The  Aruwimi  river  .scenery — Villages  of  the  liakuti 
and  the  Bakoka — The  Pa])ids  of  Gweiigwere -The  hoy  Pakula 
— Our  "  chop  and  coflfee  " — The  islands  near  Pandangi — Tho 
Pahurn  dwarfs— The  unknown  course  of  the  river —Tlic  Somalis 
—  Bartering  at  Mariri  and  Mu])e — The  Aruwimi  at  ^lujie  — The 
lialie  manners,  customs,  and  dress — Jephson's  two  ailventures — 
Wasji  Eapids— The  chief  of  the  Bwamlmri  —  Our  camp  at 
My-yui — Canoe  accident — An  ahandoned  village — Arrival  at 
Panga  Falls — Description  of  the  Falls  


l.'U 


CHAPTi  II  VIIT. 

FROM   PANGA   FALLS   TO   UGAHHOWWA'S. 

Another  accident  at  the  Eapids — The  village  of  Utiri — Avisibba 
.settlement  -Enrjuiry  into  a  murder  case  at  Avisibba — Sur- 
jirised  by  the  natives — Lieutenant  Stairs  wounded — We  hunt 
up  the  enemy — The  poisoned  arrows — Indiiference  of  the  Za,n/i- 
baris — jei)hson's  caravan  uiissing — Our  woundeil — ^Peri)etual 
rain — Deaths  of  Khalfan,  Saadi,  and  others — Arrival  of  caravan 
— The  Mabengu  Rapids — Mustering  the  ])eople— The  N(^poko 
river — Pemarks  by  Pinza — Our  food  supply — Peckli^ss  use  of 
ammunition — Halfway  to  tlie  Albert  Lake — We  fall  in  with 
some  of  Ugarrowwa's  men — Absconders— We  camp  at  Hip])0 
Proads  and  Aval<ubi  Rapids  —  The  destroyed  .settlement 
of  Navabi — Elephants  at  Memberri  —  More  desertions  —  The 
Arab  leader,  Ugarrowwa— He  gives  us  information — Visit  to  the 
Arab  settlement  —  First  specimen  of  the  tribe  of  dwarfs-;— 
Arrangements  with  Ugarrowwa       ..171 


CHAPTER  IX. 
ugarkowwa'b  to  kilonga-loxga's. 

Ugarrowwa  .sends  us  three  Zanzibari  deserter.s — We  make  an 
example— The  'Express'  rifles — Conversation  with  Rashid 
— The  Lenda  river — Troublesome  rapids — Scarcity  of  food 
— Some  of  Kilonga-Longa's  followers  -  Meeting  of  tlie  rivers 
Ihuru  and  Ituri — State  and  niuubers  of  the  Expedition — 
Illness  of  Captain  Nelson — We  send  couriers  ahead  to  Kilonga- 
Longa's — Tlie  sick  encampment — Handy  and  the  guinea  fowl — 
Scarcity  of  food — Illness  caused  by  the  forest  ])ears — Fanciful 
menus — More  desertions — Asniani  drowned — Our  condition  in 
brief — Uledi's  suggestion — Umari's  climb — My  donkey  is  shot 
for  food— We  strike  the  track  of  the  Manyuema  and  arrive  at 
their  village ' 211 


VI 


CONTESTS. 


CHAITKU  X. 


WITH   THK    MANYUEMA    AT    II'OTO. 


The  ivory  liuntcrs  iit  Ipoto— Their  inoih'  of  proceeding — The  Miiii- 
yiuiiiia  lieiuliiKfU  iiinl  th«'ir  niids— Uemedy  for  prevcutiiig  whoh'- 
wUe  (hivastiitioiiH-('rustule  i)reii('h('(l  l»y  ('urdimil  Lavif!;(!ri('  - 
Our  Ziiiizihar  chiefs —Anxiety  respetrtinj:  Captain  Nelson  and 
liis  followers  — Our  men  sell  tlu-ir  weapons  for  food— Theft  of 
rifles — Tluiir  return  demanded — I'ledi  turns  up  with  news  of 
th(!  missing  chiefs- (Contract  drawn  up  with  the  Manyuenia 
headmen  for  the  relief  of  Captain  Nelson  -Jephson's  report  on 
his  journey — Reports  of  Captain  Nelson  and  Surj^eon  Parke — 
The  process  of  blood  brotherhood  Inftween  myself  and  Ismaili — 
Wo  leave  Ipoto 236 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THKOUGH   THK    F0UE8T   TO   MAZAMBONl'S   PEAK. 

In  the  country  of  the  Balesse— Their  houses  and  clearings— Natives 
of  Bukiri— The  th-st  village  of  dwarfs— Our  rat(i  of  progress 
increased — The  road  from  Mamhur.gus— Halts  at  East  and  West 
Indekaru— A  little  storm  between  "Three  O'clock"  and  Khamis 
— We  reach  Ibwiri-- Khamis  and  the  "  vile  Zanzibaris  " — The 
Ibwiri  clearing — Plentiful  provisions— The  state  of  my  men ; 
and  what  they  had  recently  gone  through— Khamis  and  party 
explore  the  neighbourhood — And  return  with  a  flock  of  goats 
— Khamis  cajttures  Roryo,  but  is  released — Jephson  returns 
from  the  relief  of  Captain  Nelson — Departure  of  Khann's  and 
the  Manyuema  —  Memorandum  of  charges  against  Messrs. 
Kilonga  Longa  &  Co.  of  Ipoto— Suicide  of  Simba — Sali's  reflec- 
tions on  the  same — Lieutenant  Stairs  reconnoitres — Muster  and 
reorganisation  at  Iltwiri — Improved  condition  of  the  men  — 
Boryo's  village— Balesse  customs — East  Indenduru — We  reach 
the  outskirts  of  the  forest — Mount  Pisgah — The  vilhige  of 
lyugu — Heaven's  light  at  last;  the  beautiful  grass-land — We 
drop  across  an  ancient  crone — Indesura  and  its  products — 
Juma's  capture — The  Ituri  river  again— We  emerge  ui)on  a 
rolling  plain — And  forage  in  some  villages— The  mode  of  hut 
construction — The  district  of  the  Babusesse — Our  Mbiri  captives 
— Natives  attack  the  camj) — The  cour.se  of  the  Ituri— The 
natives  of  Abunguma — Om-  fare  since  leaving  Ibwiri — Mazam- 
boni's  Peak  —  The  east  Ituri  —  A  mass  of  [)lantations  — 
Demonstration  by  the  natives — Our  camp  on  the  crest  of  Nzera 
Kuni — "  Be  strong  and  of  a  good  courage  " — Friendly  intercourse 
with  the  natives — We  are  compelled  to  disper.se  them — Peace 
arranged — Arms  of  the  Bandussuraa       U55 


CHAPTER  XII. 

ARRIVAL   AT   LAKE    ALBEUT    AND   OUR   RETURN   TO   IBWIRI. 

We  are  further  annoyed  by  the  natives — Their  villages  fired — 
Gavira's  village  —  We  kcej)  the  natives  at  bay  —  Plateau  of 
Unyoro  in  view — Night  attack  by  the  natives — The  village  of 


CONTKXrs. 


Vll 


i-Aoa 


Kiitoiiza'H — Parley  wiih  tlu'  imtivcs — No  news  of  tlif  I'aslui  — 
Our  supply  of  cartritlKt'H — Wo  conNidcr  our  jH)sitioii  Iii»'ut«'iiaiit 
Stairs  convcrKCK  with  tli((  jiooplo  of  Kasniya  Isliuid  I'lic  only 
KciiHiltlo  fours*!  left  UK— Apiiii  attacked  l>y  natives  Scenery  on 
tlio  lake's  sliore— \V«  climb  a  nitmntain  -A  rich  discovery  of 
grain— The  rich  valley  of  rndussunia— Our  return  journey  to 
Ibwiri— The  construction  of  Kort  Bodo         31  Jl 


CHA?TK1{  XIII. 


LIFK    AT    FOIIT    BODO. 


Our  imiHjnding  duties — Tlie  stockade  of  Fort  Bodo — Instructio:;s  to 
Lieutenant  Stairs— His  dejiarture  for  Kilonpa-Longa's— Pested 
by  rats,  mosquitoes,  &v. — Nights  disturlnjil  by  the  lemur- 
Annies  of  red  ants— Snakes  in  troi)ical  Africa — Hoisting  the 
p]gyijtian  flag — Arrival  of  Surgeon  Parke  and  Captain  Nelson 
froui  Ipoto — R(!iK)rt  of  their  stay  with  the  Manyuenia— Lieu- 
tenant Stairs  arrives  with  tlie  steel  l)oat— We  determine  to  iMish 
on  to  the  Lake  at  once— Volunteers  to  convey  letters  to  Major 
Barttelot — Illness  of  myself  and  Captain  Nelson — Uledi  captures 
a  Queen  of  the  Pigmies- Our  fields  of  corn — Life  at  Fort  Bodo 
— We  again  set  out  for  the  Nyanza 350 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

TO  THE   ALBERT   NYANZA   A    SECOND  TIME. 

Difficulties  with  tlie  steel  l>oat — African  forest  craft— S))len<lid 
capture  of  ])iginies,  and  description  of  the  same — We  cross  tho 
Ituri  hiver — Dr.  Parke's  delight  on  leaving  the  forest — Camp 
at  Besse — Zanzibari  wit — At  Nzera-Kum  Hill  once  more— Inter- 
course with  the  natives — "  Malleju,"  or  the  "  Bearded  One," 
being  first  news  of  Emin — Visit  from  cliief  MazamlM)ni  and  his 
followers — Jej)lison  goes  through  tlie  form  of  friendship  with 
Mazamboni — The  medicine  men,  Nestor  and  Murabo — The 
trilies  of  the  Congo — Visit  from  cliief  Gavira — A  Mliuma  chief — 
The  Bavira  and  Wahuma  races — The  varying  African  features — 
Friendship  with  Mi)inga — Gavira  and  the  looking-glass — Ex- 
posed Uzanza  —  We  reach  Kavalli  —  The  cliief  produces 
"Malleju's"  letter — p]min's  letter— Jephson  and  Parke  convey 
the  steel  Iwat  to  the  lake — Copy  of  letter  sent  by  me  to  Emin 
through  Jephson — Friendly  visits  from  natives 373 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  MEETING   WITH   EMIN   PASHA. 

Our  camp  at  Bundi— Mbiassi,  the  cliief  of  Kavalli— The  Balegga 
granaries — Chiefs  Katonza  and  Konmbi  express  contrition— The 
kites  at  Badzwa — A  note  from  Jephson — Emin,  Casati  and 
Jei)hson  walk  into  our  camp  at  old  Kavalli  -Descrijitions  of 
Emin  Pasha  and  Captain  Casati— The  Pasha's  Soudanese — Our 
Zanzibaris  —  The    steamer    Khedive  —  Baker    and    the    Blue 


VI. 1 


CONTEXTS. 


PAOK 

Mountains— Drs.  Junker  and  Felkin's  descriptions  of  Emin — 
Proximity  of  Kabba  Kepa— Eniin  and  tlie  E(|uatorial  Provinces 
— Dr.  Junker's  report  of  Emin — I  discuss  with  Emin  our  future 
j)roceedings — Captain  Casati's  plans — Our  camp  .and  provisions 
at  Nsabe — Kabba  Hegas  treatment  of  Cai)tain  Casati  and 
Mohammed  Biri — Mabrnki  gored  by  a  buifalo— Emin  Pasha  and 
liis  sohliers — My  ])ropositions  to  Emin  and  his  answer — Emin's 
jiosition — Mahomet  Aclimet— The  Congo  State— The  J'oreign 
Office  despatches 393 


CHAPTER  XVI. 
WITH  THE  PASHA — continued. 

Fortified  stations  in  the  Province — Storms  at  Nsabe — A  nest  of 
young  crocodiles — Lake  Ibrahim — Zanzibari  raid  on  Balcgga 
villajies — Dr.  Parke  goes  in  seaich  of  the  two  missing  men — The 
Zanzibaris  again — A  real  tornado — The  Pasha's  gifts  to  us — 
Introduced  to  Emii>'s  officers — i']min's  cattle  forays — The 
Khedive  departs  forMswa  station — Mabrnki  and  his  wages — The 
Pasha  and  the  use  of  the  sextant — Ttcparture  of  local  chiefs — 
Arrival  of  the  Khedive  and  Sij'inza  steamers  v/ith  soldiers — Made 
arrangements  to  return  in  search  of  the  rear-column— My  message 
to  the  troops  — Our  Badzwa  road — A  farewell  dance  by  tlie 
Zanzibaris — The  Madi  carriers'  disai)pcarance— First  sight  of 
lluwenzori — Former  circunnia\igators  of  the  Albert  I^ake — 
Lofty  twin-peak  mountain  near  the  East  Ituri  l?iver — Aid  for 
Emin  against  Kabba  Bcga— Two  letters  from  Emin  Pasha — 
We  are  informed  of  an  intended  attack  on  us  by  chiefs  Kadongo 
and  Musiri — Fresh  Madi  carriers — \Ve  attack  K'a(U)iigo'scamp — 
With  assistance  from  Mazamboni  and  Gavira  we  march  on 
Musiri's  camjt  which  turns  out  to  be  deserted — A  phalanx  dance 
by  Mazamboni's  warriors — Music  on  the  African  Continent — 
Camii  at  Nzera-kum  Hill — Presents  from  various  chiefs — Chief 
Musiri  wishes  for  peace     ..      ..      416 


chapte:i  xvil 


^ 


PERSONAL,  TO   THE   PASHA. 

Age  and  early  days  of  Emin  Pasha— Gordon  and  the  pay  of  Emin 
Pasha — Last  interview  with  Gordon  Pasha  in  1877— P^min's  last 
supply  of  ammunition  and  ]irovisions — Five  years'  isolation — 
Mackay's  library  in  Uganda — Dmin's  abilities  and  titnesf-  fir  his 
])Osition— His  linguistic  and  other  attainments — Emin's  industry 
— His  neat  journals— Story  related  to  me  by  Shukri  Agha 
referring  to  Emin's  escape  from  Kirri  to  Mswa — Emin  confirms 
the  story — Some  natural  history  facts  related  tome  by  Emin  - 
The  Pasha  and  the  Dinka  tribe— A  lion  story — Emin  and  "  bird 
studies"        


422 


CONTENTS. 


IX 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


START    FOR    THE    HKLIEF    OF    THE    REAB    COLUMN. 


TAOB 


Escorterl  by  various  tribes  to  Mukangi — Camp  at  Ukuba  village — 
Arrival  at  Fort  Bodo — Our  invalids  in  Ugarrowwa's  care — 
Lieut.  Stairs'  report  on  his  visit  to  bring  up  the  invalids  to 
Fort  Hodo— Night  visits  by  the  malicious  dwarfs — A  general 
•uuster  of  the  garrison — I  decide  to  conduct  the  Relief  force 
in  person — Captain  Nelson's  ill-health— My  little  fox-terrier 
"  Randy  "—Description  of  the  fort  —  The  Zanzibaris  —  Esti- 
mated time  to  perform  the  ji)urney  to  Yanibuya  and  back — 
Lieut.  Stairs'  suggestion  about  the  steamei  .'^fnn/eij — Conversa- 
tion with  Lieut.  Stairs  in  reference  to  ^Major  Rarttelot  and  the 
Rear  Column — Letter  of  instructions  to  Lieut.  Stairs 452 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

ARRIVAL    AT    15ANALVA  :    BAHTTELOT    DEAD ! 

The  Relief  Force— The  difficulties  .)f  marching — We  reach  Ipoto — 
Kilonga  Longa  apologises  for  t'le  behaviour  of  his  Manyueraa — 
The  chief  returns  us  some  of  our  rifles — Dr.  Parke  and  fourteen 
men  return  to  Fort  Bodo— Ferrying  across  the  Ituri  River — 
Indications  of  some  of  our  old  camps — We  unearth  our  buried 
stores — The  Manyuemi  escort — Bridging  the  Lenda  River — 
The  famished  Madi — Accidents  and  deaths  among  tiie  Zanzi- 
baris  and  Madi— My  little  fo.\-terrier  "Randy" — The  vast 
clearing  of  Ujangwa  —  Native  women  guides  —  We  reach 
Ugarrowwa's  aiiandoned  station  -  -  Welcome  food  at  Amiri 
Falls— Navabi  E'alls — Halt  at  -^vamburi  landing-place — Death 
of  a  Madi  chief — Our  buried  sv  res  near  Basopo  unearthed 
aiid  stolen — Juma  and  Nassib  wander  away  from  the  Column — 
The  evils  of  forest  marciiing  —  Conversation  between  my 
tent-boy,  Sali,  and  .-i  Zanzibari — Numerous  bats  at  Mabengu 
village— We  reach  Avisibba,  and  find  a  young  Zanzibari  girl — 
Nejambi  Rapids  and  Panga  Falls— The  natives  of  Panga—At 
Mugwye's  we  disturb  an  intendel  feast— We  overtake  Ugar- 
rowwa  at  Wasp  Rapids  and  find  our  courier.s  and  some  deserters 
in  his  camp — The  head  courier  relates  his  tragic  story — Amusing 
letter  from  Dr.  Parke  to  Major  Barltelot — Progress  of  our  canoe 
flotilla  down  the  river— Tlie  Batundu  natives — Our  progress 
since  leaving  the  Nyauza  -Thougiits  about  the  Rear  Column — 
Desolation  along  tlie  i>anks  of  the  river — We  reach  Banalya — 
Meeting  with  Bonny — The  Major  is  dead — Banalya  Camp.. 


408 


CHAPTER  XX. 


THE    SAD    STOltY   OF   THE    REAR   TOLUMN. 

Tippu-Til)— Major  E.  M.  Barttelot— Mr.  J.  S.  Jameson— Mr,  Herbert 
Ward— Messrs.  Troup  and  Bonny — Major  Barttelot 's  Report  on 
the  doings  of  the  Rear  Column — Conversation  with  Mr.  Bonny 
—Major  Bartt(Oot's  letter  to  ^Ir.  Bonny — Facts  gleaned  from  the 
written  narrative  of  Mr.  Wm.  Bonny — Mr  Ward  detained  at 
Bangala— Rei)eated  visits  of  the  Major  to  Stanley  Falls— Murder 


CONTENTS. 


PAGB 


of  Major  Barttelot— Bonny's  account  of  the  murder— The 
assassin  Sanga  is  punished— Jameson  dies  of  fever  at  Bangala 
Station — Meeting  of  the  advance  and  rear  columns— Dreadful 
state  of  the  camp— Tippu-Tib  and  Major  Barttelot— Mr.  Jameson 
—Mr.  Herbert  Ward's  report 408 


APPENDIX. 
Copy  of  Log  of  Rear  Column 527 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

VOLUME    1. 

STEEL  ENGRAVINO. 

Portrait  of  Henry  M.  Stanlev FroHtiapiere. 

(From  a  Photogruph  by  Elliott  &  Fry,  18K«.) 


FULL-PA  GE  ILL  USTRA  Tioys. 

FacliiK 
paste 

Group — Mr.  Stanley  and  his  Officers 1 

The  Steel  Boat  "Advance" 80 

In  the  Night  and  Rain  in  the  Forest 14(i 

The  Fight  with  the  Avisibba  Cannibals 174 

The  Ri.ver  Column  Ascending  the  Aruwimi  Kiver  wivh  the  "Ad- 
vance" and  Sixteen  Canoes 1H4 

Wooden  Arrows  of  the  Avisibba 180 

"The  Pasha  is  Coming" I'.Ki 

The  Relief  of  Nelson  and  Survivors  at  Starvation  Camh    .        .  2r)() 

Gymnastics  in  a  Forest  Clearing '^.W 

Ivuou  ;  A  Call  to  Arms '28<i 

Emerging  from  the  Forest '^0'' 

First  Experiences  with   Mazamboni's   People.     View   from   Nzera 

KuM  Hill :{0<; 

The  South  End  of  the  Albert  Nyanza,  Dec.  13.  1887     .        .        .  324 


xu 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Sketch-Map  :  "  Return  to  Ugarrowa's 
Emi.v  and  Casati  Arrive  at  Lake  Shore  Camp 
A  Phalanx  Dance  by  MAaAMBONi's  Warriors 
Meeting  with  the  Hear  Column  at  Banalya 


Facing 
page 

By  Lieutenant  Stairs  .  3G5 


396 
438 
494 


0 THER  ILL  VSTRA  TIONS. 


'!;! 


m 


!«l 


Portrait  of  Emin  Pasha 

"  Captain  .Nelson 

"  Lieutenant  Stairs  . 

William  Bonny 
A.  J.  Mounteney  Jephson 

"  Surgeon  Parke,  A.M.D. 

"  XuBAR  Pasha   . 

"  The  Khedive  Tewfik 

"  Tippu-TiB 

Maxim  Automatic  Gun  .... 
Launching  the  Steamer  "  Florida  "  . 

Stanley  Pool  

Baruti  Finds  his  Brother  . 
A  Typical  Village  on  the  Lower  Aruwim 
Landing  at  Yambuya     .... 
Diagram  of  Forest  Camps    . 
Marching  through  the  Forest 
The  Kiranoozi,  or  Foremost  Man 
Head-Dress — Crown  of  Bristles 
Paddle  ok  the  Upper  Aruwimi  or  Ituri 

Wasps'  Nests 

Fort  Island,  near  Panoa  Falls 
Panga  Falls 


10 

39 

40 

41 

42 

50 

51 

55 

68 

83 

90 

100 

109 

112 

113 

130 

135 

137 

160 

160 

164 

168 

169 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


XUl 


View  of  Utiri  Village 

Leak-Bladeu  PAl)DL^:  ok  Avisibba 
A  IIeau-Dress  ok  Avisibha  Warriors 

CORONETEU   Av.'SlBBA    WaRRIOR — HeAD-DrESP 

Cascades  of  the  Xei'oko 

View  of  Bafaido  Catarai t  .... 

Attackino  ax  Elephant  in  tiik  iUki  Kivk.ii 
Randy  Seizes  the  Cil-inea  Fowl  .        ... 

KiLONGA    LoXGA's    StATIO.V 

Shields  oy  the  TUless^ 

View  of  Molxt  Pisgam  kro.m  the  Eastward 
Villages  ok  the  Bakwuru  ox  a  Spir  ok  I'lstiAii 
A  Village  at  the  Base  ok  Pis(i\ii 

CaiEK  OK  the  Iyigu 

Pipes  ok  Forest  Tribes 

Shields  ok  the  Bablsesse 

Suspexsiox  Bridge  across  the  East  Ituri  . 

Shield  ok  the  Edge  ok  the  Plaixs 

View  ok  the  South  End  ok  Albert  Nyaxza 

Corn  Granary  ok  the  Babusesse 

A  Village  ok  the  Baviri  :  Europ  axs  Tailoring 

Great  Rock  xear  Ixdetonoa        .... 

Exterior  View  ok  Fort  Bodo      .... 

Interior  ok  Fort  Bodo 

Plan  ok  Fort  Bodo  axd  Vicinity,  by  Lieutexant  Stairs. 

The  Queen  op  the  Dwarfs  . 

Within  Fort  Bodo 

One  of  Mazamboxi's  Warriors     . 

Kavalli,  Chief  ok  the  Babiassi  . 

Milk  Vessel  ok  the  Wahuma 

The  Steamers  "Khedive"  axd  "Nyanza"  ox  Lake  Albert 

View  of  Banalya  Curve       


Facini; 
page 

172 
174 
178 
179 
193 
203 
203 

234 

2oG 

281 

2!!i3 

284 

285 

290 

299 

304 

317 

318 

342 

345 

348 

349 

351 

354 

308 

371 

384 

389 

392 

426 

493 


M 


LIST  01    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Portrait  of  Major  Barttelot 
"  Mr.  Jameson    . 


FaeiDi; 
page 

499 


501 


MAP. 


^  Map  of  the  Great  Forest  Region,  Showing  the  Route  of  the 
Emin  Pasha  Relief  Expedition  from  the  River  Congo  to 
VcTORiA  Nyanza.     By  Henry  M.  Stanley. 


In  Pocket. 


Pacini; 
page 

499 
501 


HE 
TO 

Pocket. 


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IN   DARKEST   AFRICA, 


a 


K 
S 


P. 
& 
O 


PREFATORY  LETTER. 


My  deah  Sir  William, 

I  have  great  pleasure  in  dedicating  this  hook  to  ycu. 
It  professes  to  be  the  Official  Report  to  yourself  and  the 
Emin  Relief  Committee  of  what  we  have  experienced 
and  endured  during  our  mission  of  Relief,  which  cir- 
cumstances altered  into  that  of  Rescue.  You  may 
accept  it  as  a  truthful  record  of  the  journeyings  of  the 
Expedition  which  you  and  the  Emin  Relief  Committee 
entrusted  to  my  guidance. 

I  regret  that  I  was  not  able  to  accomplish  all  that  I 
burned  to  do  when  I  set  out  from  England  in  January, 
1887,  but  the  total  collapse  of  the  Government  of 
Equatoria  thrust  upon  us  the  duty  of  conveying  in 
hammocks  so  many  aged  and  sick  people,  and  protecting 
so  many  helpless  and  feeble  folk,  that  we  became  trans- 
formed from  a  small  fighting  column  of  tried  men  into 
a  mere  Hospital  Corps  to  whom  active  adventure  was 
denied.  The  Governor  was  half  blind  and  possessed 
much  luggage,  Casati  was  weakly  and  had  to  be  carried, 
and  90  per  cent,  of  their  followers  were,  soon  after 
starting,  scarcely  able  to  travel  from  age,  disease,  weak- 
ness or  infancy.  Without  sacrificing  our  sacred  charge, 
to  assist  which  was  the  object  of  the  Expedition,  we 
could  neither  deviate  to  the  right  or  to  the  left,  from 
the  most  direct  road  to  the  sea. 


VOL,    L 


B 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


I  if 


You  who  throughout  your  long  and  varied  life  have 
steadfastly  believed  in  the  Christian's  God,  and  before 
men  have  professed  your  devout  thankfulness  for  many 
mercies  vouchsafed  to  you,  will  bet^  understand  than 
many  others  the  feelings  which  an  .  .^e  me  when  I  find 
myself  back  again  in  civilization,  uninjured  in  life  or 
healtli,  after  passing  through  so  many  stormy  and  dis- 
tressful periods.  Constrained  at  the  dprkeF:t  hour  to 
humbb  confess  that  without  God's  help  I  w\as  helpless, 
I  vowed  a  vow  in  the  forest  solitudes  that  I  would 
confess  His  aid  before  men.  A  silence  as  of  death  was 
round  about  me  ;  it  was  midnight ;  I  was  weakened  l)y 
illness,  prostrated  with  fatigue  and  worn  with  anxiety 
for  my  white  and  l)lack  companions,  whose  fate  was  a 
mystery.  In  this  physical  and  mental  distress  I  be- 
sought God  to  give  me  back  my  people.  Nine  hours 
later  we  were  exulting  with  a  rapturous  joy.  In  full 
view  of  all  was  the  crimson  flag  with  the  crescent,  and 
beneath  its  waving  folds  v/as  the  long-lost  rear  column. 

Again,  we  had  emerged  into  the  open  country  out  of 
the  forest,  after  such  experiences  as  in  the  collective 
annals  of  African  travels  there  is  no  parallel.  We  w^ere 
approaching  the  region-  wherein  our  ideal  Governor  w\^s 
reported  to  be  beleaguered.  All  that  we  heard  from 
such  natives  as  our  scouts  caught  prepared  us  for  des- 
perate encounters  with  multitudes,  of  whose  numbers  or 
qualities  none  could  inform  us  intelligently,  and  when 
the  population  of  Undusuma  swarmed  in  myriads  on  the 
hills,  and  the  valleys  seemed  alive  with  warriors,  it  really 
seemed  to  us  in  our  dense  ignorance  of  their  character 
and  power,  that  these  were  of  those  who  hemmed  in 
the  Pasha  to  the  west.  If  he  with  his  4000  soldiers 
appealed  for  help,  what  could  we  effect  with  173? 
The  night  before  I  had  been  reading  the  exhortation  of 
Moses  to  Joshua,  and  whether  it  was  the  effect  of  those 
'  brave  words,  or  whether  it  was  a  voice,  I  know  not,  but 
it  appeared  to  me  as  though  I  heard  :  *'  Be  strong,  and 
of  a  good  courage,  fear  not,  nor  be  afraid  of  them,  for 
the  Lord  thy  God  He  it  is  that  doth  go  with  thee.  He 
will  not  fail  thee  nor  forsake  thee."     When  on  the  next 


rHEFATOHy  LETTER. 


:\ 


day  Mazaml)oni  commanded  his  people  to  attack  and 
exterminate  us,  there  was  not  a  coward  in  our  camp, 
whereas  the  evening  before  we  exchiimed  in  l)itterness 
on  seeing  four  of  our  men  fly  before  one  native,  "And 
these  are  the  wretches  with  whom  we  must  reach  the 
Pasha  I " 

And  yet  again.  Between  the  confluence  of  the  Ihuru 
and  the  Dui  rivers  in  December  1888,  150  of  the 
l)est  and  strongest  of  our  men  had  been  despatclied  to 
forage  for  food.  They  had  been  absent  for  many  days 
more  than  they  ought  to  have  been,  and  in  the  mean- 
time 130  men  besides  boys  and  women  were  starving. 
They  were  supported  each  day  with  a  cup  of  warm  thin 
])roth,  made  of  butter,  milk  and  water,  to  keep  death 
away  as  long  as  possible.  When  the  provisions  were 
so  reduced  that  there  were  only  sufficient  for  thirteen 
men  for  ten  days,  even  of  the  thin  broth  with  four  tiny 
biscuits  each  per  day,  it  became  necessary  for  me  to 
hunt  up  the  missing  men.  They  might,  being  without 
a  leader,  have  been  reckless,  and  been  besieged  by  an 
overwhelming  force  of  vicious  dwarfs.  My  following 
consisted  of  sixty-six  men,  a  few  women  and  children, 
who,  more  active  than  the  others,  had  assisted  the  tiiin 
fluid  with  the  berries  of  the  phrynium  and  tne 
amomum,  and  such  fungi  as  could  be  discovered  in 
damp  places,  and  therefore  were  possessed  of  some 
little  strength,  though  the  poor  fellows  were  terribly 
emaciated.  Fifty -one  men,  besides  boys  and  women, 
were  so  prostrate  with  debility  and  disease  that  they 
would  be  hopelessly  gone  if  within  a  few  hours  food 
did  not  arrive.  My  white  comrade  and  thirteen  men 
were  assured  of  sufficient  for  ten  days  to  protract  the 
struggle  against  a  painful  death.  We  who  were  bound 
for  the  search  possessed  nothing.  We  could  feed  on 
berries  until  we  could  arrive  at  a  plantation.  As  we 
travelled  that  afternoon  we  passed  several  dead  bodies 
in  various  stages  of  decay,  and  the  sight  of  doomed, 
dying  and  dead  produced  on  my  nerves  such  a  feeling 
of  weakness  that  I  was  well-nigh  overcome.  Every 
soul   in   that   camp   was   paralysed   with   sadness   and 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


suffering.  Despair  had  made  them  all  dumb.  Not 
a  sound  was  heard  to  disturb  tlie  deathly  brooding. 
It  was  a  mercy  to  me  that  I  heard  no  murmur  of 
reproach,  no  sign  of  rebuke.  I  felt  tlie  horror  of  the 
silen(;e  of  the  forest  and  the  night  intensely.  Sleep 
was  impossible.  My  thoughts  dwelt  on  these  recurring 
dis()l)ediences  which  caused  so  much  misery  and 
anxiety.  "  Stiff-necked,  rebellious,  incorrigible  human 
nature,  ever  showing  its  animalism  and  lu'utisliness,  let 
the  wret(^hes  be  for  ever  accursed  !  Tlieir  utter  thought- 
less and  oblivious  natures  and  continual  breach  of 
promises  kill  more  men,  and  cause  more  anxiety,  than 
the   poison    of  the   darts  or  barbs  and  points  of  the 

arrows.     If  I  meet  them  I  will "     But  before  the 

resolve  was  uttered  flashed  to  my  memory  the  dead 
men  on  the  road,  the  doomed  in  the  camp,  and  the 
starving  with  me,  and  the  thought  that  those  150 
men  were  lost  in  the  remorseless  woods  beyond  re- 
covery, or  surrounded  by  savages  without  hope  of 
escape,  then  do  }  u  wonder  that  the  natural  hardness 
of  the  heart  was  softened,  and  that  I  again  consigned 
my  case  to  Him  who  could  alone  assist  us.  The  next 
morning  within  half-an-hour  of  the  start  we  met  the 
foragers,  safe,  sound,  ro])ust,  loaded,  bearing  four  tons 
of  plaintains.  You  can  imagine  what  cries  of  joy  these 
wild  children  of  nature  uttered,  you  can  imagine  how 
they  flung  themselves  upon  the  fruit,  and  kindled  the 
fires  to  roast  and  boil  and  bake,  and  how,  after  they 
were  all  filled,  we  strode  back  to  the  camp  to  rejoice 
those  unfortunates  with  Mr.  Bonny. 

As  I  mentally  review  the  many  grim  episodes  and 
reflect  on  the  marvellously  narrow  escapes  from  utter 
destruction  to  which  we  have  been  subjected  during 
our  various  journeys  to  and  fro  through  that  immense 
and  gloomy  extent  of  primeval  woods,  I  feel  utterly 
unable  to  attribute  our  salvation  to  any  other  cause 
than  to  a  gracious  Providence  who  for  some  purpose  of 
His  own  preserved  us.  All  the  armies  and  armaments 
of  Europe  could  not  have  lent  us  any  aid  in  the  dire 
extremity  in  which  we  found  ourselves  in  that  camp 


PREFATORY  LETTER. 


and 
utter 
uring 


e 


camp 


hetween  the  Dui  and  Ilmru  ;  an  army  of  explorer.s  could 
not  liave  traced  our  course  to  the  scene  of  the  hist 
Struggle  had  we  fallen,  for  deep,  deep  as  utter  ohlivion 
had  we  y)een  surely  buried  under  the  lumuis  of  the 
trackless  wilds. 

It  is  in  this  humhle  and  grateful  spirit  tliat  T  com- 
mence this  record  of  the  progress  of  the  Expedition 
from  its  inception  by  you  to  the  date  when  at  our  feet 
the  Indian  Ocean  burst  into  view,  pure  and  )»lue  as 
Heaven  when  we  might  justly  exclaim  *'  It  is  ended  !  " 

What  the  pul^lic  ought  to  know,  that  hrve  I  written  ; 
but  there  are  many  things  that  the  snarling,  cynical, 
un])elieving,  vulgar  ought  not  lo  know,  I  wi'ite  to 
you  and  to  your  friends,  and  for  those  who  desire  more 
light  on  Darkest  Africa,  and  for  those  who  can  feel  an 
interest  in  what  concerns  humanity. 

My  creed  has  been,  is,  and  will  remain  so,  I  hope,  to 
act  for  the  best,  think  the  right  thought,  and  speak  the 
right  word,  as  well  as  a  good  motive  will  permit. 
AVhen  a  mission  is  entrusted  to  me  and  my  conscience 
approves  it  as  noble  and  right,  and  I  give  my  promise 
to  exert  my  best  powers  to  fulfil  this  according  to  the 
letter  and  spirit,  I  carry  with  me  a  Law,  that  I  am 
compelled  to  obey.  If  any  associated  with  me  prove 
to  me  by  their  manner  and  action  that  this  Law  is 
equally  incumbent  on  them,  then  I  recognize  my 
brothers.  Therefore  it  is  with  unqualified  delight  tliat 
I  acknowledge  the  priceless  services  of  my  friends 
Stairs,  Jephson,  Nelson  and  Parke,  four  men  whose 
devotion  to  their  several  duties  were  as  perfect  as 
human  nature  is  capable  of.  As  a  man's  epitaph  can 
only  be  justly  written  when  he  lies  in  his  sepulchre,  so 
I  rarely  attempted  to  tell  them  during  the  journe}',  how 
much  I  valued  the  ready  and  prompt  obedience  of 
Stairs,  that  earnestness  for  work  that  distinguished 
Jephson,  the  brave  soldierly  qualities  of  Nelson,  and  the 
gentle,  tender  devotion  paid  by  our  Doctor  to  his  ailing 
patients  ;  but  now  that  the  long  wanderings  are  over,  and 
they  have  bided  and  laboured  ungrudgingly  throughout 
the  long  period,  I  feel  that  my  words  are  poor  indeed 


6 


7^"  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


when  I  need  them  to  express  in  full  my  lasting  obli- 
gations to  each  of  them. 

Concerning  those  who  have  fallen,  or  who  were 
turned  back  by  illness  or  accident,  I  will  admit,  with 
pleasure,  that  while  in  my  company  every  one  seemed 
most  capaljle  of  fulfilling  the  highest  expectations 
formed  of  them.  I  never  had  a  doubt  of  any  one 
of  them  until  Mr.  Bonny  poured  into  my '  ears  the 
dismal  story  of  the  rear  column.  While  I  possess 
positive  proofs  that  both  the  Major  and  Mr.  Jameson 
were  inspired  by  loyalty,  and  burning  with  desire 
throughout  those  long  months  at  Yambuya,  I  have 
endeavoured  to  ascertfdn  why  they  did  not  proceed  as 
instructed  by  letter,  or  why  Messrs.  Ward,  Troup  and 
Bonny  did  not  suggest  that  to  move  little  by  little  was 
preferable  to  rotting  at  Yambuya,  which  they  were 
clearly  in  danger  of  doing,  like  the  100  dead  followers. 
To  this  simple  question  there  is  no  answer.  The  eight 
visits  to  Stanley  Falls  and  Kasongo  amount  in  the 
aggregate  to  1,200  miles  ;  their  journals,  log  books,  letters 
teem  with  proofs  that  every  element  of  success  w\is 
in  and  with  them.  I  cannot  understand  why  the  five 
officers,  having  means  for  moving,  confessedly  burning 
with  the  desire  to  move,  and  animated  with  the  highest 
feelings,  did  not  move  on  along  our  tract  as  directed  ;  or> 
why,  believing  I  was  alive,  the  officers  sent  my  personal 
bao-oracre  down  river  and  reduced  their  chief  to  a  state 
of  destitution  ;  or,  why  they  should  send  European 
tinned  provisions  and  two  dozen  bottles  of  Madeira 
down  river,  when  there  were  thirtv-three  men  sick  and 
hungry  in  camp  ;  or,  why  Mr.  Bonny  should  allow 
his  own  rations  to  be  sent  down  while  he  was  present ; 
or,  why  Mr.  Ward  should  be  sent  down  river  with 
a  despatch,  and  an  order  be  sent  after  him  to 
prevent  his  return  to  the  Expedition.  These  are  a 
few  of  the  prol^lems  which  puzzle  me,  and  to  which 
I  have  been  unable  to  obtain  satisfactory  solutions. 
Had  any  other  person  informed  me  that  such  things, 
had  taken  place  I  should  have  doubted  them,  but 
I    take  my  information  solely  from  Major  Barttelot'ti 


PBEFATORY  LETTER. 


official  despatch  (See  Appendix).  The  telegram  which 
Mr.  Ward  conveyed  to  the  sea  requests  instructions 
from  the  London  Committee,  but  the  gentlemen  in 
London  reply,  "  We  refer  you  to  Mr.  Stanley's  letter  of 
instructions."  It  becomes  clear  to  every  one  that  there 
is  a  mystery  here  for  which  I  cannot  conceive  a  rational 
solution,  and  therefore  each  reader  of  this  narrative 
must  think  his  own  thoughts  but  construe  the  whole 
charitably. 

After  the  discovery  of  ]\Ir.  Bonny  at  Banalya,  I  had 
frequent  occasions  to  remark  to  him  that  his  goodwill 
and  devotion  were  equal  to  that  shown  by  the  others, 
and  as  for  bravery,  I  think  he  has  as  much  as  tlie 
bravest.  Wit;^  his  performance  of  any  appcjinted  work 
I  never  had  cause  for  dissatisftiction,  and  as  he  so 
admirably  conducted  himself  with  such  perfect  and 
respectful  obedience  while  with  us  from  Banalya  to  the 
Indian  Sea,  the  more  the  mystery  of  Yambuya  life  is 
deepened,  for  w4th  2,000  such  soldiers  as  Bonny  under 
a  competent  leader,  the  entire  Soudan  could  be  sub- 
jugated, pacified  and  governed. 

It  must  thoroughly  be  understood,  however,  while 
reflecting  upon  the  misfortunes  of  the  rear-column,  that 
it  is  my  firm  belief  that  had  it  been  the  lot  of  l^arttelot 
and  Jameson  to  have  been  in  the  place  of,  say  Stairs  and 
Jephson,  and  to  have  accompanied  us  in  the  advance, 
they  would  equally  have  distinguished  themselves  ;  for 
such  a  group  of  young  gentlemen  as  Barttclot,  Jameson, 
Stairs,  Nelson,  Jephson,  and  Parke,  at  all  times,  night  or 
day,  so  eager  for  and  rather  loving  work,  is  rtire.  If  I 
were  to  try  and  form  another  African  State,  such  tire- 
less, brave  natures  would  be  simply  invaluable.  The 
misfortunes  of  the  rear-column  were  due  to  the  resolu- 
tions of  August  17th  to  stay  and  wait  for  me,  and  to 
the  meeting  with  the  Arabs  the  next  dav. 

u  hat  is  herein  related  about  Emin  Pasha  need  not,  I 
hope,  be  taken  as  derogating  in  the  slightest  from  tlie  high 
conception  of  our  ideal.  If  the  reality  differs  somewhat 
from  it  no  fault  can  be  attributed  to  him.  While  his 
people  were  faithful  he  was  e  jual  to  the  ideal ;  wlien 


"8 


IN  DARKEST  AFBICA. 


his  soldiers  revolted  his  usefulness  as  a  Governor 
ceased,  just  as  the  cabinet-maker  with  tools  may  turn 
out  finished  wood-work,  but  without  them  can  do 
nothing  If  the  Pasha  was  not  of  such  gigantic  stature 
as  we  supposed  him  to  be,  he  certainly  cannot  be  held 
responsible  for  that,  any  more  than  he  can  be  held 
accounta])le  for  his  unmilitary  appearance.  If  the 
Pasha  was  a])le  to  maintain  his  province  for  five  years, 
he  cannot  in  justice  ])c  held  answerable  for  the  wave 
of  insanity  and  the  epidemic  of  turbulence  which  con- 
verted his  hitherto  loyal  soldiers  into  rebels.  You  will 
find  two  special  periods  in  this  narrative  wherein  the 
Pasha  is  described  with  strictest  impartiality  to  each, 
l)ut  his  misfortunes  never  cause  us  to  lose  our  respect 
for  him,  though  w^e  may  not  agree  wdth  that  excess  of 
sentiment  which  distinguished  him,  for  objects  so  un- 
worthy as  sworn  rebels.  As  an  administrator  he  dis- 
played the  finest  qualities  ;  he  was  just,  tender,  loyal 
and  merciful,  and  afiectionate  to  the  natives  who  placed 
themselves  under  his  protection,  and  no  higher  and 
better  proof  of  the  esteem  with  which  he  was  regarded 
])y  his  soldiery  can  be  desired  than  that  he  owed  his 
life  to  the  reputation  for  justice  and  mildness  which  he 
had  won.  In  short,  every  hour  saved  from  sleep  was 
devoted  before  his  final  deposition  to  some  useful 
purpose  conducive  to  increase  of  knowledge,  improve- 
ment of  humanity,  and  gain  to  civilization.  You  must 
remember  all  these  things,  and  l)y  no  means  lose  sight 
of  them,  even  while  you  read  our  impressions  of  him. 

I  am  compelled  to  believe  that  J\lr.  Mounteney 
Jephson  wrote  the  kindliest  report  of  the  events  that 
transpired  during  the  arrest  and  imprisonment  of  the 
Pasha  and  himself,  out  of  pure  aftection,  sympathy,  and 
fellow-feeling  for  his  friend.  Indeed  the  kindness  and 
sympathy  he  entertains  for  the  Pasha  are  so  evident 
that  I  T)lavfullv  accuse  him  of  lieinsi,'  either  a  Mahdist, 
Aral)ist,  or  Eminist,  as  one  would  naturally  feel 
in<lignant  at  the  prospect  of  leading  a  slave's 
life  at  Khartoum.  The  letters  of  Mr.  Jephson, 
after  ])eing  shown,  were  endorsed,  as  will  be  seen   by 


PREFATORY  LETTER. 


Emin  Pasha.  Later  observations  proved  the  truth  of 
those  made  by  Mr.  Jephson  when  he  said,  "  Sentiment 
is  the  Pasha's  worst  enemy  ;  nothing  keeps  Emin  here 
but  Emin  himself."  What  1  most  admire  in  him  is 
the  evident  struggle  between  his  duty  to  me,  as  my 
agent,  and  the  friendship  he  entertains  for  the  Pasha. 

While  we  may  naturally  regret  that  Emin  Pasha  did 
not  possess  that  influence  over  his  troops  which  would 
have  commanded  their  perfect  obedience,  confidence  and 
trust,  and  made  them  pliable  to  the  laws  and  customs 
of  civilization,  and  compelled  them  to  respect  natives  as 
fellow-subjects,  to  be  guardians  of  peace  and  protectors 
(jf  property,  without  which  there  can  ])e  no  civilization, 
many  will  think  that  as  the  Governor  was  unable  to  do 
this,  that  it  is  as  well  that  events  took  the  turn  they 
did.  The  natives  of  Africa  cannot  be  taught  that  there 
are  blessings  in  civilization  if  they  are  permitted  to  l)e 
oppressed  and  to  be  treated  as  unworthy  of  the  treat- 
ment due  to  human  beings,  to  be  despoiled  and  en- 
slaved at  will  by  a  licentious  soldiery.  The  habit  of 
regarding  the  aborigines  as  nothing  better  than  pagan 
ah\d  or  slaves  dates  from  Ibrahim  Pasha,  and  nuist  ])e 
utterly  suppressed  before  any  seml)lance  of  civilization 
can  be  seen  outside  the  military  settlements.  When 
every  grain  of  corn,  an<l  every  fowl,  goat,  sheep  and 
cow  which  is  necessary  for  the  troops  is  paid  for  in 
sterling  money  or  its  equivalent  in  necessary  goods, 
then  civilization  will  become  irresistible  in  its  influence, 
and  the  Gospel  even  may  ])e  introduced  ;  l)ut  without 
impartial  justice  ])oth  are  impossible,  certainly  never 
when  preceded  and  accompanied  by  spoliation,  which  I 
fear  was  too  general  a  custom  in  the  Soudan. 

Those  who  have  some  regard  for  righteous  justice 
may  find  some  comfort  in  the  reflection  that  until 
civilization  in  its  true  and  real  form  be  introduced  into 
E(|uatoria,  the  aborigines  shall  now  have  some  peace 
and  rest,  and  that  whatever  asjiects  its  semlilance  bare, 
ex<'epting  a  few  orange  and  lime  trees,  can  l)e  replaced 
witliin  a  month,  under  higher,  l)etter,  and  more  enduring 
auspices. 


10 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


If  during  this  Expedition  I  have  not  sufficiently 
manifested  the  reality  of  my  friendship  and  devotion 
to  you,  and  to  my  friends  of  the  Emin  Relief 
Committee,  pray  attribute  it  to  want  of  opportunities 
and  force  of  circumstances  and  not  to  lukewarmness  and 
insincerity ;  but  if,  on  the  other  hand,  you  and  my 
friends  have  been  satisfied  that  so  far  as  lay  in  my 
power  I  have  faithfully  and  loyally  accomplished  the 
missions  you  entrusted  to  me  in  the  same  spirit  and 
to  the  same  purpose  that  you  yourself  would  have 
performed  them  had  it  been  physically  and  morally 
possible  for  you  to  have  been  with  us,  then  indeed  am 
I  satisfied,  and  the  highest  praise  would  not  be  equal 
in  my  opinion  to  the  simple  acknowledgment  of  it,  such 
as  "  Well  done." 

]\Iy  dear  Sir  William,  to  love  a  noble,  generous  and 
loyal  heart  like  your  own,  is  natural.  Accept  the  pro- 
fession of  mine,  which  has  been  pledged  long  ago  to  you 
wholly  and  entirely. 

Henry  M.  Stanley. 

To  Sir  Williaiw  Maokinnon,  Bart., 
of  Balinahill  and  Loup, 
in  the  County  of  Argyleshire, 
The  Chairman  of  the  Emm  Pasha  Helief  Committee. 

&c.  (&C.  (&C. 


CHAPTER  1. 


INTRODUCTORY  CHAPTER. 

The  Khedive  and  the  Soudan — Arabi  Pasha— Hicks  Pasha's  defeat — The 
Mahdi — Sir  Evelyn  Baring  and  Lord  Granville  on  the  Soudan — 
Valentine  Baker  Pasha — General  Gordon:  his  work  in  the  Upper 
Soudan— Edward  Schnitzler  (or  Emin  Elfendi  Hakim)  and  his  pro- 
vince— General  Gordon  at  Khartoum :  and  account  of  the  Relief 
Expedition  in  1884,  under  Lord  Wolseley — Mr.  A.  M,  Mackay,  the 
missionary  in  Uganda  —  Letters  from  Emin  Bey  to  Mr.  Mackay, 
Mr.  C.  H.  Allen,  and  Dr.  E.  \V.  Felkin,  relating  to  his  Province- 
Mr.  F.  Holmwood's  and  Mr.  A.  M.  Mackay's  views  on  the  proposed 
relief  of  Emin — Suggested  routes  for  the  Emin  Relief  Expedition — 
Sir  Wm.  Mackinnon  and  Mr.  J.  F.  Hutton — The  Relief  Fund  and 
Preparatory  details  of  the  Expedition — Colonel  Sir  Francis  De  Winton 
— Selection  of  officers  for  the  Expedition — King  Leopold  and  the  Congo 
Route — Departure  for  Egypt. 

Only  a  Carlyle  in  his  matiirest  period,  as  when  he  drew 
in  lurid  colours  the  agonies  of  the  terrible  French 
Revolution,  can  do  justice  to  the  long  catalogue  of 
disasters  which  has  followed  the  connection  of  England 
with  Egypt.  It  is  a  theme  so  dreadful  throughout,  that 
Englishmen  shrink  from  touching  it.  Those  who  have 
written  upon  any  matters  relating  to  these  horrors 
confine  themselves  to  bare  historical  record.  No  one 
can  read  through  these  without  shuddering  at  the 
dangers  England  and  Englishmen  have  incurred  during 
this  pitiful  period  of  mismanagement.  After  the  Egyptian 
campaign  there  is  only  one  bright  gleam  of  sunshine 
throughout  months  of  oppressive  darkness,  and  that 
shone  over  the  immortals  of  Abu-Klea  and  Gubat, 
when  that  small  body  of  heroic  Englishmen  struggled 
shoulder  to  shoulder  on  the  sands  of  the  fatal  desert,  and 
won  a  glory  equal  to  that  which  the  Light  Brigade  were 
urged  to  gain  at  Balaclava.     Those  were  fights  indeed, 


12 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


and  atone  in  a  great  measure  for  a  series  of  blunders, 
that  a  century  of  history  would  fail  to  parallel  If 
only  a  portion  of  that  earnestness  of  purpose  exhibited 
at  Abu-Klea  had  been  manifested  by  those  responsible 
for  ordering  events,  the  Mahdi  would  soon  have  become 
only  a  picturesque  figure  to  adorn  a  page  or  to  point  a 
metaphor,  and  not  the  terrible  portent  of  these  latter 
days,  whose  presence  blasted  every  vestige  of  civilization 
in  the  Soudan  to  ashes. 

In  order  that  I  may  make  a  fitting  but  brief  intro- 
duction to  the  suljject  matter  of  this  book,  I  nmst 
necessarily  glance  at  the  events  which  led  to  the  cry  of 
the  last  surviving  Lieutenant  of  Gordon  for  help  in  his 
close  beleaguerment  near  the  Equator. 

To  the  daring  project  of  Ismail  the  Khedive  do  we 
owe  the  original  cause  of  all  that  has  befallen  Egypt 
and  the  Soudan.  With  5,000,000  of  subjects,  and  a 
rapidly  depleting  treasury,  he  undertook  the  expansion 
of  the  Egyptian  Khediviate  into  an  enormous  Egyptian 
Empire,  the  entire  area  embracing  a  superficial  extent  of 
nearly  1,000,000  square  miles — that  is,  from  the  Pharos 
of  Alexandria  to  the  south  end  of  Lake  Albert,  from 
Massowah  to  the  wescern  boundary  of  Darfur. 
Adventurers  from  Europe  and  from  America  resorted 
to  his  capital  to  suggest  the  maddest  schemes,  and 
volunteered  themselves  leaders  of  the  wildest  enter- 
prises. The  staid  period  when  Egyptian  sovereignty 
ceased  at  Gondokoro,  and  the  Nile  was  the  natural  drain 
of  such  traffic  as  found  its  way  by  the  gentle  pressure 
of  slow  development,  was  ended  when  Captains  Speke 
and  Grant,  and  Sn-  Samuel  Baker  brought  their  rapturous 
reports  of  magnificent  lakes,  and  regions  unmatched  for 
fertility  and  productiveness.  The  termination  of  the 
American  Civil  War  threw  numbers  of  military  officers 
out  of  employment,  and  many  thronged  to  Egypt  to 
lend  their  genius  to  the  modern  Pharaoh,  and  to  realize 
his  splendid  dreams  of  empire.  Englishmen,  Germans, 
and  Italians,  appeared  also  to  share  in  the  honours  that 
were  showered  upon  the  l)old  and  the  ])rave. 


While 


reading 


carefully    and    dispassionately    the 


ISMAIL   THE  KHEDIVE  AND    THE  SOUDAN. 


13 


annals  of  this  period,  admiring  the  breadth  of  the 
Khedive's  views,  the  enthusiasm  which  possesses  him, 
the  princely  liberality  of  his  rewards,  the  military 
exploits,  the  sudden  extensions  of  his  power,  and  the 
steady  expansions  of  his  sovereignty  to  the  south,  vvest, 
and  east,  I  am  struck  by  the  fact  that  his  success  as  a 
conqueror  in  Africa  may  well  be  compared  to  the 
successes  of  Alexander  in  Asia,  the  only  difference  being 
that  Alexander  led  his  armies  in  person,  while  Ismail 
the  Khedive  preferred  the  luxuries  of  his  palaces  in 
Cairo,  and  to  commit  his  wars  to  the  charge  of  his 
Pashas  and  Beys. 

To  the  Khedive  the  career  of  conquest  on  which  he 
has  launched  appears  noble  ;  the  European  Press  applaud 
him  ;  so  many  things  of  grand  importance  to  civilization 
transpire  that  they  chant  pseans  of  praise  in  his  honour  ; 
the  two  seas  are  brought  together,  and  the  mercantile 
navies  ride  in  stately  columns  along  tlic  maritime  canal  ; 
railways  are  pushed  towards  the  south,  and  it  is 
prophesied  that  a  line  will  reach  as  far  as  Berber.  But 
throughout  all  this  brilliant  period  the  people  of  this 
new  empire  do  not  seem  to  have  been  worthy  of  a 
thought,  except  as  subjects  of  taxation  and  as  instru- 
ments of  supplying  the  Treasury  ;  taxes  are  heavier  than 
ever  ;  the  Pashas  are  more  mercenary  ;  the  laws  are  more 
exacting,  the  ivory  trade  is  monopolised,  and  finally, 
to  add  to  the  discontent  already  growing,  the  slave 
trade  is  prohibited  throughout  all  the  territory  where 
Egyptian  authority  is  constituted.  Within  five  years 
Sir  Samuel  Baker  has  conquered  the  Equatorial  Province, 
Munzinger  has  mastered  Senaar,  Darfur  has  ])een 
annexed,  and  Bahr-el-Ghazal  has  been  subjugated  after  a 
most  frightful  waste  of  life.  The  audacity  manifested 
in  all  these  projects  of  empire  is  perfectly  marvellous — 
almost  as  wonderful  as  the  total  al)sence  of  common 
sense.  Along  a  line  of  territory  800  miles  in  length 
there  are  only  three  military  stations  in  a  country  thai 
can  only  rely  upon  camels  as  means  of  communication 
except  when  the  Nile  is  high. 

In  1879,  Ismail  the  Khedive  having  drawn  too  freely 


14 


IN  DARKEST  AFH1LA. 


upon  the  banks  of  Europe,  and  increased  the  debt  of 
Egypt  to  £128,000,000,  and  unable  to  agree  to  the 
restraints  imposed  by  the  Powers,  the  money  of  whose 
subjects  he  had  so  liberally  squandered,  was  deposed, 
and  the  present  Khedive,  Tewfik,  his  son,  was  elevated  to 
his  place,  under  the  tutelage  of  the  Powers.  But 
shortly  after,  a  military  revolt  occurred,  and  at  Kassassin, 
Tel-el-Kebir,  Cairo,  and  Kafr  Dowar,  it  was  crushed  by 
an  English  Army,  13,000  strong,  under  Lord  Wolseley. 
During  the  brief  sovereignty  of  Arabi  Pasha,  who 
headed  the  military  revolt,  much  mischief  was  caused 
by  the  withdrawal  of  the  available  troops  from  the 
Soudan.  While  the  Eno;li.sh  General  was  defeatino- 
the  rebel  soldiers  at  Tel-el-Kebir,  the  Mahdi  Mohamet - 
Achmet  was  proceeding  to  the  investment  of  El  Obeid. 
On  the  23rd  of  August  he  was  attacked  at  Duem 
with  a  loss  of  4500.  On  the  14th  he  was  repulsed  by 
the  garrison  of  Obeid,  with  a  loss,  it  is  said,  of  10,000 
men.  These  immense  losses  of  life,  which  have  been 
continuous  from  the  11th  of  August,  1881,  when  the 
Mahdi  first  essayed  the  task  of  teaching  the  populations 
of  the  Soudan  the  weakness  of  Egyptian  power,  were 
from  the  tribes  who  were  indifferent  to  the  i-eligion 
professed  by  the  Mahdi,  but  who  had  been  robbed 
by  the  Egyptian  officials,  taxed  beyond  endurance  by 
the  Government,  and  who  had  been  prevented  from 
obtaining  means  by  the  sale  of  slaves  to  pay  the  taxes, 
and  also  from  the  hundreds  of  slave- trading  caravans, 
whose  occupation  was  taken  from  them  by  their  energetic 
suppression  by  Gordon,  and  his  Lieutenant,  Gessi  Pasha. 
From  the  11th  of  August,  1881,  to  the  4th  of  March, 
1883,  when  Hicks  Pasha,  a  retired  Indian  officer,  landed  at 
Khartoum  as  Chief  of  the  Staft'  of  the  Soudan  army,  the 
disasters  to  the  Government  troops  had  been  almost  one 
unbroken  series  ;  and,  in  the  meanwhile,  the  factious 
and  mutinous  army  of  Egypt  had  revolted,  been  sup- 
pressed and  disbanded,  and  another  army  had  been 
reconstituted  under  Sir  Evelyn  Wood,  which  was  not  to 
exceed  6000  men.  Yet  aware  of  the  tremendous  power 
of  the  Mahdi,  and  the  combined  fanaticism  and  hate, 


THE  MAIIDI,   MOHAMET-ACIIMET. 


15 


amounting  to  frenzy,  which  possessed  his  legions,  and  of 
the  insta])ility,  the  indiscipline,  and  cowardice  of  his 
troops — while  pleading  to  the  Egyptian  Government  for 
a  reinforcement  of  5000  men,  or  for  four  battalions  of 
General  Wood's  new  army — Hicks  Pasha  resolves  upon 
the  conquest  of  Kordofan,  and  marches  to  meet  the 
victorious  Prophet,  while  he  and  his  hordes  are  Hushed 
with  the  victory  lately  gained  over  Obeid  and  Bara. 
His  staff,  and  the  very  civilians  accompanying  him,  pre- 
dict disaster ;  yet  Hicks  starts  forch  on  his  last  journey 
with  a  body  of  12,000  men,  10  mountain  guns,  6  Nor- 
denfelts,  5500  camels,  and  500  horses.  They  know  that 
the  elements  of  weakness  are  in  the  force  ;  that  many  of 
the  soldiers  are  peasants  taken  from  the  fields  in  Egypt, 
chained  in  gangs  ;  that  others  are  Mahciists  ;  that  there 
is  dissension  between  the  officers,  and  that  everything  is 
out  of  joint.  But  they  march  towards  Obeid,  meet  the 
]\Iahdi's  legions,  and  are  annihilated. 

England  at  this  time  directs  the  affairs  of  Egypt  with 
the  consent  of  the  young  Khedive,  whom  she  has  l)een 
instrumental  in  placing  upon  the  almost  royal  throne  of 
Egypt,  and  whom  she  is  interested  in  protecting.  Pier 
soldiers  are  in  Egypt ;  the  new  Egyptian  army  is  under 
an  English  General ;  her  military  police  is  under  the 
command  of  an  English  ex-Colonel  of  cavalry ;  her 
Diplomatic  Agent  directs  the  foreign  policy  ;  almost  all 
the  principal  offices  of  the  State  are  in  the  hands  of 
Englishmen. 

The  Soudan  has  been  the  scene  of  the  most  fearful 
sanguinary  encounters  between  the  ill-directed  troops  of 
the  Egyptian  Government  and  the  victorious  tril)es 
gathered  under  the  sacred  banner  of  the  Mahdi ;  and 
unless  firm  resistance  is  off'jred  soon  to  the  advance  of 
the  Prophet,  it  becomes  (-lear  to  many  in  England  that 
this  vast  region  and  fertile  basin  of  the  Upper  Nile  will 
be  lost  to  Egypt,  unless  troops  and  money  l)e  furnished 
to  meet  the  emergency.  To  the  view  of  good  sense  it 
is  clear  that,  as  England  has  undertaken  to  direct  the 
government  and  manage  the  affairs  of  Egypt,  she  cannot 
avoid  declaring  her  policy  as  regards  the  Soudan.     To  a 


16 


7^  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


.\\\< 


fjuestion  addressed  to  the  English  Prime  Minister  in 
Parliament,  as  to  whether  the  Soudan  was  regarded  as 
forming  a  part  of  Egypt,  and  if  so,  whether  the  British 
Government  would  take  steps  to  restore  order  there, 
Mr.  Gladstone  replied,  that  the  Soudan  had  not  been 
included  in  the  sphere  of  English  operations,  and  that 
the  Government  was  not  disposed  to  include  it  wdthin 
the  sphere  of  English  responsibility.  As  a  declaration 
of  policy  no  fault  can  be  found  with  it ;  it  is  Mr.  Glad- 
stone's policy,  and  there  is  nothing  to  be  said  against  it 
as  such  ;  it  is  his  principle,  the  principle  of  his  associates 
in  the  Government,  and  of  his  party,  and  as  a  principle 
it  deserves  respect. 

The  Political  Agent  in  Egypt,  Sir  Evelyn  Baring, 
while  the  fate  of  Hicks  Pasha  and  his  army  was  still 
unknown,  but  suspected,  sends  repeated  signals  of  warn- 
ing to  the  English  Government,  and  suggests  remedies 
and  means  of  averting  a  final  catastrophe.  "  If  Hicks 
Pasha  is  defeated,  Khartoum  is  in  danger ;  by  the  fall  of 
Khartoum,  Egypt  will  be  menaced." 

Lord  Granville  replies  at  various  times  in  the  months 
of  November  and  December,  1883,  that  the  Government 
advises  the  abandonment  of  the  Soudan  within  certain 
limits ;  that  the  Egyptian  Government  must  take  the 
sole  responsibility  of  operations  beyond  Egypt  Proper ; 
that  the  Government  has  no  intention  of  employing 
British  or  Indian  troops  in  the  Soudan  ;  that  ineffectual 
efforts  on  the  part  of  the  Egyptian  Government  to  secure 
the  Soudan  would  only  increase  the  danger. 

Sir  Evelyn  Baring  notified  Lord  Granville  that  no 
persuasion  or  argument  availed  to  induce  the  Egyptian 
Minister  to  accept  the  policy  of  abandonment.  Cherif 
Pasha,  the  Prime  Minister,  also  informed  Lord  Granville 
that,  according  to  Valentine  Baker  Pasha,  the  means  at 
the  disposal  were  utterly  inadequate  for  coping  with  the 
insurrection  in  the  Soudan. 

Then  Lord  Granville  replied,  through  Sir  Evelyn 
Baring,  that  it  was  indispensable  that,  so  long  as  Eng- 
lish soldiers  provisionally  occupied  Egypt,  the  advice 
of  Her  Majesty's  Ministers  should  be  followed,  and  that 


5 


BAKER   PASHA'S  DEFEAT  AT  TOKAR. 


17 


ivelyn 

,s  Eng- 

advice 

id  that 


he  insisted  on  its  adoption.  The  Egyptian  Ministers 
were  changed,  and  Nubar  Pasha  became  Prime  Minister 
on  the  1 0th  January,  1884. 

On  the  17th  December,  Valentine  Baker  departed  from 
Egypt  for  Suakim,  to  commence  military  operations 
for  the  maintenance  of  communication  Ijetween  Suakim 
and  Berber,  and  the  pacification  of  the  tri})es  in  that 
region.  While  it  was  absolutely  certain  in  England  that 
Baker's  force  would  suffer  a  crushing  defeat,  and  sus- 
pected in  Egypt,  the  General  does  not  seem  to  be  aware 
of  any  danger,  or  if  there  be,  he  courts  it.  The  Khedive, 
fearful  that  to  his  troops  an  engagement  will  l)e  most 
disastrous,  writes  privately  to  Baker  Pasha  :  "I  rely  on 
your  prudence  and  ability  not  to  engage  the  enemy 
except  under  the  most  favoural)le  conditions."  Baker 
possessed  ability  and  courage  in  abundance  ;  \)\xt  tlie 
event  proved  that  prudence  and  judgment  were  as  absent 
in  his  case  as  in  that  of  the  unfortunate  Hicks.  His 
force  consisted  of  3746  men.  On  the  6th  of  February  he 
left  Trinkitat  on  the  sea  shore,  towards  Tokar.  After  a 
march  of  six  miles  the  van  of  the  rebels  was  encountered, 
and  shortly  after  the  armies  were  engaged.  It  is  said 
"  that  the  rebels  displayed  the  utmost  contempt  for  the 
Egyptians ;  that  they  seized  them  l)y  the  neck  and  cut 
their  throats  ;  and  that  the  Government  troops,  paralysed 
Ijy  fear,  turned  their  backs,  submitting  to  be  killed  rather 
than  attempt  to  defend  their  lives  ;  that  hundreds  threw 
away  their  rifle?;  knelt  dowm,  raised  their  clasped  hands, 
and  prayed  for  mercy." 

The  total  number  killed  was  2373  out  of  3746.  Mr. 
Royle,  the  excellent  historian  of  the  Egyptian  cam- 
paigns, says  :  "  Baker  knew,  or  ought  to  have  known,  the 
composition  of  the  troops  he  commanded,  and  to  take 
such  men  into  action  was  simply  to  court  disaster." 
What  ought  we  to  say  of  Hicks  ? 

We  now  come  to  General  Gordon,  who  from  1874  to 
1876  had  been  working  in  the  Upper  Soudan  on  the 
lines  commenced  by  Sir  Samuel  Baker,  conciliating 
natives,  crushing  slave  caravans,  destroying  slave  sta- 
tions,  and  extending   Egyptian   authority   by  lines    of 

VOL.   I.  C 


18 


IN  DARKKtiT  AFRICA. 


fortified  forts  up  to  the  Alltert  Nyanzn.  After  four 
months'  retirement  he  was  appointiMl  ({overnor-lieneral 
of  the  Sou(hin,  of  Darfur,  and  the  h^ipiatorial  I'rovinces. 
Amon*;' others  wlioni  (Jordon  employed  as  ( Jovernors  of 
these  various  provinces  under  liis  Vice-reoaKJovernnient 
was  one  Edward  Schnitzler,  a  German  born  in  Oppehi, 


fB^'^>ew:*Pl' 


EMIN   PASHA. 


Prussia,  28th  March,  1840,  of  Jewisli  parents,  who  liad 
seen  service  in  Turkey,  Armenia,  Syria,  and  Ara])ia,  in 
the  suite  of  Ismail  Hakki  Pasha,  once  Governor-General 
of  Scutari,  and  a  Mushir  of  the  Empire.  Gn  the  death 
of  his  patron  he  had  departed  to  Niesse,  where  his 
mother,  sister,  and  cousins  lived,  and  where  he  stayed 
for  several  months,  and  thence  left  for  Egypt.     He,  in 


GENERAL    UOUDON  ASD   EDWAlil)   tiVllSlT/.LER.       11) 


11 


I 


,vho  had 
ruhia,  in 
-General 
le  death 
lere  liis 
stayed 
He,  in 


1875,  tluMice  travelled  to  Khartoum,  and  being  a  ni('di<al 
doctor,  was  employed  l)y  (lordon  Paslui  in  tliut  cajjacity. 
lie  assumed  the  name  and  title  of  l^^inin  KtTeudi  Jlakim 
— the  faithful  {)hysician.  He  was  sent  to  Lado  as  store- 
keeper and  doctor,  was  afterwards  despatcluMl  to  King 
Mtesa  on  a  political  mission,  recalled  to  Khartoum,, 
again  desj)atched  on  a  sinular  mission  to  King  Kaliha- 
Rega  of  I'nyoro,  and  finally,  in  1878,  was  [)rom()ted  to 
Bev,  and  appointed  (Jovernor  of  the  K(juatoriaI  Pro- 
vince of  IJa-tal-aMiva,  which,  rendered  into  Knglish, 
means  Ecjuatoria,  at  a  salary  of  ,£.")()  pei-  month.  A 
mate  of  one  of  the  Peninsular  and  Oriental  steamerS; 
called  Lupton,  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  (Jovernor 
of  the  Province  of  Bahr-el-(j!hazal,  which  adjoined 
Equatoria. 

On  hearing  of  the  (k'position  of  Ismail  in  1879, 
Gordon  surrendered  his  high  otHc(!  in  the  hands  of 
Tewfik,  the  new  Khedive,  informing  him  that  he  did  not 
intend  to  resume  it. 

in  1880  he  accepted  the  post  of  Secretary  un<ler  the 
^laiNjuis  of  Rip(m,  hut  resigned  it  within  a  month. 

In  1881  he  is  in  Mauritius  as  Commandant  of  the 
Royal  Engineers.  In  about  two  months  he  al)andons 
that  post  to  proc^eed  to  the  assistance  of  the  Cape 
authorities  in  their  difticultv  with  the  Basutos,  but,  after 
a  little  experience,  finds  himself  unable  to  agree  with 
the  views  of  the  Cape  Government,  and  resigns. 

Meantime,  I  have  ])een  labouring  on  the  Congo  River. 
Our  successes  in  that  immense  territory  of  Western 
Africa  have  expanded  into  responsibilities  so  serious 
that  tliev  threaten  to  become  unmanao;eable.  When  I 
visit  the  Lower  Coiifjo  affairs  })ecome  deran<!;ed  on  the 
Cpper  Congo  ;  if  I  confine  myself  to  the  Upper  Congo 
there  is  friction  in  the  Lower  Congo.  Wherefore,  feeling 
an  intense  interest  in  the  growth  of  the  territory  which 
was  rapidly  developing  into  a  State,  I  suggested  to  His 
]\Iajesty  King  Leopold,  as  early  as  September,  1882,  and 
again  in  the  spring  of  1883,  that  I  required  as  an 
associate  a  person  of  merit,  rank,  and  devotion  to  work, 
such  as  General  Gordon,  \vho  would  undertake  either 


20 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


the  manao;ement  oi  the  Lower  or  Upper  Congo,  while  I 
would  work  in  the  other  section,  as  a  vast  amount  of 
valual)le  time  was  consumed  in  travelling  up  and  down 
from  one  to  the  other,  and  young  officers  of  stations 
were  so  apt  to  take  advantage  of  my  absence.  His 
Majesty  promised  to  request  the  aid  of  General  Gordon, 
but  for  a  long  time  the  replies  were  unfavourable. 
Unally,  in  the  spring  of  1884,  I  received  a  letter  in 
General  (xordon's  well-known  handwriting,  which  in- 
formed me  I  was  to  expect  him  by  the  next  mail. 

It  appears,  however,  that  he  had  no  sooner  mailed 
his  letter  to  me  and  parted  from  Ilis  Majesty  than  he 
was  besieged  by  applications  from  his  countrymen  to 
assist  the  Egyptian  Government  in  extricating  the 
])eleaguered  garrison  of  Khartcnim  from  their  impending 
fate.  Personally  I  know  nothing  of  what  actually 
happened  when  he  was  ushered  by  Lord  Wolseley  into 
the  presence  of  Lord  Granville,  but  I  have  been  in- 
formed that  General  Gordon  was  confident  he  could 
perform  the  mission  entrusted  to  him.  There  is  a 
serious  discrepancy  in  the  definition  of  this  mission. 
The  Egyptian  authorities  were  anxious  for  the  evacua- 
tion of  Khartoum  only,  and  it  is  possible  that  Lord 
Granville  only  needed  Gordon's  services  for  this  humane 
mission,  all  the  other  garrisons  to  be  left  to  their  fate 
l)ecause  of  the  supposed  impossibility  of  rescuing  them. 
The  Blue  Books  which  contain  the  official  despatches 
seem  to  confirm  the  probability  of  this.  But  it  is 
certain  that  Lord  Granville  i  structed  General  Gordon 
to  proceed  to  Egypt  to  rep(  rt  on  the  situation  of  the 
Soudan,  and  on  the  best  measures  that  should  ))e  taken 
for  the  security  of  the  Egyptian  garrisons  (in  the  plural), 
and  for  the  safety  of  the  European  population  in 
Khartoum.  He  was  to  perform  such  other  duties  as 
the  Egyptian  Government  might  wish  to  entrust  to  him. 
He  was  to  be  accompanied  by  Colonel  Stewart. 

Sir  Evelyn  Baring,  after  a  prolonged  conversation 
with  Gordon,  gives  him  his  final  instructions  on  behalf  of 
the  British  (Jovernment. 

A  precis  of  these  is  as  follows  : — 


rec 


f(>]i( 

dcs 
wire 

toil) 

to  s 
peif 

* 
not  s 

(.'IISV 

in  tlic 


GENERAL    OOIiDON  AND   KHARTOUM. 


21 


rliile  1 
uiit  of 
L  down 
tations 
,      His 
Jordon, 
»ural)le. 
^tter  in 
icli   in- 
mailed 
tlian  he 
men  to 
ing   tlie 
pending 
actually 
jley  into 
been  in- 
le   could 

ere  is  si 
mission. 
1  evaeua- 
lat  Lord 

I  humane 
heir  iiite 
ng  them. 

spatches 
5ut  it    is 

II  Gordon 
)ii  of  the 

1)0  taken 
e  plural), 
lation  in 
duties  as 
t  to  him. 

Iivei'sation 
ll  behalf  of 


1.  "  EiiPiire  retreat  of  the  European  population  from  10,000  to  15,000 
people,  and  of  the  garrison  of  Kartoum.'  * 

2.  "  Yon  know  best  the  when  and  how  to  elfect  tliis." 

3.  "You  \\\\\  bear   in  mind  that  the  main  end  (of  your  Mission)  is 
the  evacuation  of  tlie  Soudan."' 

■4.  "  As  jou  are  of  opinion  it   could  be  done,  endeavour  to   make  a 
I  confederation  of  the  native  tribes  to  take  the  place  of  Egyptian  authority." 

■§,  5.  "  A  credit  of  £100,000  is  opened  for  you  at  the  Finance  Departntent." 

Gordon  has  succeeded  in  infusing  confidence  in  the 
minds  of  the  Egyptian  Ministry,  who  were  previously 
panic-stricken  and  cried  out  for  the  evacuation  of 
Khartoum  only.  They  breathe  freer  after  seeing  and 
liearing  him,  and  according  to  his  own  request  they 
invest  him  with  the  Governor-Genendship.  The  firman, 
given  him,  empowers  him  to  evacuate  the  respective 
territories  (of  the  Soudan)  and  to  withdraw  the  troops, 
ci\il  otHcials,  and  such  of  the  inhabitants  as  wish  to 
leave  for  Egypt,  and  if  possible,  after  completing  the 
e^'acuation  (and  this  was  an  absolute  impossibility)  he 
was  to  establish  an  organized  Government.  With  these 
instructions  Lord  Granville  concurs. 

I  am  told  that  it  was  understood,  however,  that  he 
was  to  do  what  he  could — do  everything  necessary,  in 
fact,  if  possible  ;  if  not  all  the  Soudan,  then  he  was  to 
proceed  to  evacuating  Khartoum  only,  without  loss  of 
time.  But  this  is  not  on  official  record  until  Mar('h 
23rd,  1884,  and  it  is  not  known  whether  he  ever 
received  this  particular  telegram. f 

(Tcneral  (lordon  proceeded  to  Khartcnmi  on  -lanuary 
-()th,  1884,  and  arrived  in  that  city  on  the  18th  of  the 
following  month.  During  his  journey  he  sent  frecpient 
•  lespatches  by  telegraph  abounding  in  confidence.  JVlr. 
Po\v(>r,  the  acting  consul  and  Times  correspondent, 
wiri'd  the  following  despatch — "The  p'H)ple  (of  Khar- 
toum) are  devoted  to  General  ( Jordon,  whose  design  is 
to  save  the  garrison,  and  for  ever  leave  the  Soudan  — as 
[)eribrcc  it  must  be  left — to  the  Soudanese. 


■J 
% 


*  Xi).  2  claslii's  with  No.  H  somewhat.     Khartoum  and  the  Soudan  arc 
not  synonymous  terms.     To  witlidraw  tlu;  garrison  of  Khartoum  is  an 

son. 
find 


easy  task,  to  evacuate  the  Soudan  is  an  impossibility  for  a  singU^  persi 
t  Tliis  is  the  only  clearly  worded  desi)atch  that  1  have  been  able  to 
ill  the  IJlue  Book  of  the  period 


22 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


The  English  press,  which  had  lieen  so  wise  reapecting 
the  chances  of  Valentine  Baker  Paslia,  were  very  much 
in  the  condition  of  the  people  of  Khartoum,  that  is, 
devoted  to  General  Gordon  and  sanguine  of  his  success 
He  had  performed  such  wonders  in  China — he  had 
laboured  so  effectually  in  crushing  the  slave-trade  in 
the  Soudan,  he  had  won  the  affection  of  the  sullen 
Soudanese,  that  the  press  did  not  deem  it  at  all 
improl)a])le  that  Gordon  w4th  his  white  wand  and  six 
servants  could  rescue  the  doomed  garrisons  of  Senaar, 
Bahr-el-Ghazal  and  Equatoria — a  total  of  29,000  men, 
besides  the  civil  employees  and  their  wives  and  families  ; 
and  after  performing  that  more  than  herculean  — 
nay  utterly  impossible  task — establish  an  organized 
Government. 

On  February  29th  Gordon  telegraphs,  "  There  is  not 
much  chance  of  improving,  and  every  chance  is  getting 
worse,"  and  on  the  2nd  of  the  month  "  I  have  no  option 
about  staying  at  Khartoum,  it  has  passed  out  of  my 
hands."  On  the  16th  Marcli  he  predicts  that  before 
long  "  we  shall  l)e  blocked."  At  the  latter  end  of  Marcli 
he  telegraphs,  "  We  have  provisions  for  five  months,  and 
are  hemmed  in." 

It  is  clear  that  a  serious  misunderstanding  had 
occurred  in  the  drawing  up  of  the  instructions  by 
Sir  Evelyn  Baring  and  their  comprehension  of  them  l)y 
General  ( cordon,  for  the  latter  expresses  himself  to  the 
former  thus  : — 

"  You  ask  me  to  state  cause  and  reason  of  my  intention 
for  my  staying  at  Khartoum.  I  stay  at  Khartoum 
because  Arabs  have  shut  us  up,  and  will  not  let  us  out." 

iMfantnne  public  opinion  urged  on  the  British  Govern- 
ment the  necessity  of  despatching  an  Expedition  to 
withdrnw  General  (lordon  from  Khartoum.  But  as  it 
was  undeistood  between  (Jeneral  (lordon  and  Lord 
Granville  that  the  former's  mission  was  for  the  purpose 
of  dispensing  with  the  services  of  British  troops  in  the 
Soudan,  and  as  it  was  its  declared  })()licy  not  to  employ 
English  or  Indian  troops  in  that  region,  the  (Jovernment 
were  naturally  reluctant  to  yield  to  the  demand  of  the 


i 


OENEBAL    GORDON  AND   KHARTOUM. 


23 


ecting 
much 
lat  is, 
access 
e   liatl 
ade  in 
sullen 
at   all 
md  six 
Senaar, 
0  men, 
imilies ; 
ilean  — 
cranized 

\  is  not 
getting 
3  option 
of  my 
t  before 
»f  Marc^li 
ths,  and 


uig 


liad 
ions  by 
tliem  l)y 
If  to  the 

utcntion 
hai'toum 
lis  out." 
(lovern- 
lition    to 
3ut  as  it 
lid    Lord 
purpose 
)s  in  the 
o  employ 
vernment 
lid  of  the 


public.  At  last,  however,  as  the  clamour  increased  and 
Parliament  and  public  joined  in  affirming  that  it  was  a 
duty  on  the  country  to  save  the  ])rave  man  who  had  so 
willingly  volunteered  to  perform  such  an  important 
service  for  his  country,  Mr.  Gladstone  rose  in  the  H(3use 
of  Commons  on  the  5th  August  to  move  a  vote  of 
credit  to  undertake  operations  for  the  relief  of  (cordon. 

Two  routes  were  suggested  by  which  the  Relief 
Expedition  could  approach  Khartoum — the  short  cut 
across  the  desert  from  Suakim  to  Berl)er,  and  the  other 
by  the  Nile.  Gordon  expressed  his  preference  for  that 
up  the  Nile,  and  it  was  this  latter  route  that  the 
C(mimanding  General  of  the  Relief  Expedition  adopted. 

On  the  18th  September,  the  steamer  "Abbas,"  with 
Colonel  Stewart  (Gordon's  companion),  Mr.  Power,  the 
Times  correspondent,  Mr.  Herbin,  the  P'rench  Consul, 
and  a  number  of  Greeks  and  Egyptians  on  board — forty- 
four  men  all  told — on  trying  to  pass  by  the  cataract 
of  Abu  Haniid  was  wrecked  in  the  cataract.  The  Ara])s 
on  the  shore  invited  them  to  land  in  peace,  but  unarmed. 
Stewart  complied,  and  he  and  the  two  Consuls  (Power 
and  Herl)in)  and  Hassan  Effendi  went  ashore  and  entered 
a  house,  in  which  they  were  immediately  murdered. 

(_)n  the  17th  November,  Gordon  reports  to  Lcu-d 
Wolseley,  who  was  then  at  Wady  Haifa,  that  he  can  hold 
out  for  forty  days  yet,  that  the  jNhdidists  are  to  the 
south,  south-west,  and  east,  but  not  to  the  north  of 
Khartoum. 

By  Christmas  Day,  1884,  a  great  part  of  the  Expedi- 
tioiiarv  Force  was  assem])led  at  Korti.  So  far,  the  ad- 
vance  of  the  Expedition  liad  l)een  as  rapid  as  the  energy 
and  skill  of  the  General  commanding  couhl  command. 
Pn)l)ably  there  never  was  a  force  so  numerous  animated 
with  such  noble  ardour  and  passion  as  this  under  Lord 
Wolseley  for  the  rescue  of  that  noble  and  solitary 
Englishman  at  Khartoum. 

Gn  December  30th,  a  part  of  General  Herbei't  Stewart's 
force  moves  from  Korti  towards  (iakdul  Wells,  with 
201)9  camels.  In  4()  hours  and  50  ininutes  it  has 
reached  Gakdul  Wells  ;  1 1  hours  later  Sir  Herbert  Stewart 


24 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


with  all  the  camels  starts  on  his  return  journey  to  Korti, 
which  place  was  reached  January  5th.  On  the  12th 
Sir  Herbert  Stewart  was  back  at  Gakdul  Wells,  and 
at  2  p.m.  of  the  1 3th  the  march  towards  Abu  Klea  was 
resumed.  On  the  17th,  the  famous  battle  of  Abu 
Klea  w^as  fouoht,  resulting  in  a  liard-won  victory  to  the 
English  troops,  \\\t\\  a  loss  of  9  officers  and  65  men 
killed  and  85  wounded,  out  of  a  total  of  1800,  while 
1100  of  the  eneni}'  lay  dead  before  the  square.  It  ap- 
pears probable  that  if  the  3000  English  sent  up  the 
Nile  Valley  had  been  with  this  gallant  little  force,  it 
would  have  been  a  mere  walk  over  for  the  English  aimy. 
After  another  battle  on  the  19th  near  jMetammeh,  Vv'here 
20  men  were  killed  and  GO  wounded  of  the  English,  and 
250  of  the  enemy,  a  village  on  a  gravel  terrace  near  the 
Nile  was  occupied.  On  the  21st,  four  steamers  belonging 
to  Oeneral  Gordon  appeared.  The  officer  in  command 
stated  that  they  had  been  lying  for  some  weeks  near  an 
island  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the  British  column.  The 
22nd  and  23rd  were  expended  by  Sir  Chas.  Wilson  in 
making  a  reconnaissance,  building  two  forts,  changing  the 
crews  of  the  steamers,  and  preparing  fuel.  On  the  24th. 
two  of  the  steamers  started  for  Khartoum,  carrying  only 
20  English  soldiers.  On  the  26th  two  men  came  aljoard 
and  reported  that  there  had  been  fighting  at  Khartoum  ; 
on  the  27tli  a  man  cried  out  from  the  l)ank  that  the  town 
had  fallen,  and  that  Gordon  had  been  killed.  The  next  day 
the  last  news  was  confirmed  by  another  man.  Sir  Charlea 
Wilson  steamed  on  until  his  steamers  became  the  target 
of  cannon  from  Omdurman  and  from  Khartoum,  besides 
rities  from  a  distance  of  from  75  to  200  yards,  and  turned 
back  only  when  convinced  tliat  the  sad  news  was  only 
too  true.  Steaming  down  river  then  at  full  speed  he 
reached  Tamanieb  when  he  halted  for  the  night.  From 
here  he  sent  out  two  messengers  to  collect  news.  One 
returned  saying  that  he  had  met  an  Arab  who  informed 
him  that  Khartoum  had  been  entered  on  the  night  of  the 
26th  January  through  the  treachery  of  Farag  Paslia,  and 
that  Gordon  was  killed  ;  that  the  Mahdi  had  on  the  next 
day  entered  the  city  and  had  gone  into  a  mos(|ue  to  re- 


BATTLE  OF  ABU  KLEA  AND  NEWS  OF  GOIWON  S  DEATH.   25 


ECorti, 
12th 
,,  and 
a  was 
Alui 
to  the 
I   men 
while 
It  ap- 
ip  the 
rce,  it 
a)  my. 
where 
h,  and 
iar  the 
onging 
nmand 
lear  an 
.     The 
[son  in 
ing  the 
e  24th. 
only 
aljoard 
rtoum  ; 
e  town 
xt  day 
'harlea 
target 
3esides 
turned 
only 
•eed  he 
From 
One 
formed 
of  the 
ha,  and 
le  next 
3  to  re- 


turn thanks  and  had  then  retired,  and  had  given  the  city 
up  to  three  days'  pillage. 

In  Major  Kitchener's  report  we  find  a  summary  of  the 
results  of  the  taking  of  Khartoum.  "  The  massacre  in 
the  town  lasted  some  six  hours,  and  about  4000  persons 
at  least  were  killed.  The  Bashi  Bazouks  and  white 
regulars  numbering  3327,  and  the  Shaigia  irregulars 
numbering  2330,  were  mostly  all  killed  in  cold  blood 
after  they  had  surrendered  and  been  disarmed."  The 
surviving  inhabitants  of  the  town  were  ordered  out,  and 
as  they  passed  through  the  gate  were  searched,  and  then 
taken  to  Omdurman  where  the  women  were  distributed 
among  the  Mahdist  chiefs,  and  the  men  were  stripped  and 
turned  adrift  to  pick  a  living  as  they  could.  A  (Treek 
merchant,  who  escaped  from  Khartoum,  reported  that  the 
town  was  betrayed  by  the  merchants  there,  who  desired 
to  make  terms  with  the  enemy,  and  not  by  Farag  Pasha. 

Darfur,  Kordofan,  Senaar,  Bahr-el-Ghazal,  Khartoum, 
had  been  possessed  by  the  enemy  ;  Kassala  soon  followed, 
and  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  Soudan 
there  now  remained  only  the  Equatorial  Province,  whose 
Governor  was  Emin  Bey  Hakim — the  Faithful  Pli\'sician. 

Naturall  ,  if  English  people  felt  that  they  were  in 
duty  bound  to  rescue  their  brave  countryman,  and  a 
gallant  General  of  such  genius  and  reputation  as  Gordon, 
they  would  feel  a  lively  interest  in  the  fate  of  the  last  of 
Gordon's  Governors,  who,  by  a  prudent  Fabian  policy, 
it  was  supposed,  had  evaded  the  late  which  had  l)ofallen 
the  armies  and  garrisons  of  the  Soudan.  It  follows  also 
that,  if  the  English  were  solicitous  for  the  salvation  of 
the  garrison  of  Khartoum,  they  would  feel  a  propor- 
tionate solicitude  for  the  fate  of  a  brave  officer  and  his 
little  army  in  the  far  South,  and  that,  if  assistance  could 
be  rendered  at  a  reasonable  cost,  there  would  be  no 
difficulty  in  raising  a  fund  to  effect  that  desirable  ol)jc('t. 

On  November  IG,  1884,  Emin  Bey  informs  Mr.  A.  M. 
Maekay,  the  missionary  in  Uganda,  by  letter  written  at 
Lado,  that  "the  Soudan  has  become  the  theatre  of  an 
insurrection  ;  that  for  nineteen  months  he  is  without 
news  from   Khartoum,  and  that  thence  he   is  led    t(j 


!    -^ 


■( 

i 

'piri; 

! 

1 

t 

26 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


I*  ' 


H 


^ «!; 


believe  that  the  town  has  been  taken  by  the  insurgents, 
or  that  tlie  Nile  is  blocked  "  ;  but  he  says  : — 

"  Whatever  it  proves  to  be,  please  inform  your  correspondents  and 
thron^h  them  the  Egyptian  Government  that  to  tliis  day  we  are  well,  and 
that  we  proi)ose  to  hold  out  until  help  may  reach  us  or  until  we  perish." 

A  second  note  from  Emin  Bey  to  the  same  nnssionary, 
on  the  same  date  as  the  preceding,  contains  the  fol- 
lowing : — 

"  The  Bahr-Ghazal  Province  being  lost  and  Lupton  Bey,  the  povornor, 
carried  away  to  Kordot'an,  we  are  unable  to  inform  our  Government  of 
what  happens  here.  For  nineteen  months  we  have  had  no  communication 
from  Khartoum,  so  I  suppose  the  river  is  blocked  up," 

"  Please  therefore  inform  the  Egyptian  Government  by  some  means  tliat 
we  are  well  to  this  day,  but  greatly  in  need  of  help.  We  shall  hold  out 
until  we  obtain  such  help  or  until  we  perish." 

To  Mr.  Charles  H.  Allen,  Secretary  of  the  Anti- 
Slavery  Society,  Emin  Bey  writes  from  Wadelai,  De- 
cenil)er  31,  1885,  as  follows  : — 

"Ever  since  the  month  of  May,  1883,  we  have  been  cut  oif  from  all 
communication  with  the  world.  Forgotten,  and  abandoned  by  the 
Government,  we  have  been  compelled  to  make  a  virtue  of  necessity. 
Since  the  occupation  of  the  Bahr-Ghazal  we  have  lx;en  vigorously 
attacked,  and  I  do  not  know  how  to  describe  to  you  the  admirable 
devotion  of  my  black  troops  throughout  a  long  war,  which  for  them  at 
least,  has  no  advantage.  Deprived  of  the  most  necessary  things  for  a  long 
time  without  any  pay,  my  men  fought  valiantly,  and  when  at  last 
hunger  weakened  them,  when,  after  nineteen  days  of  incredible  privation 
and  sutTorings,  their  strength  was  exhausted,  and  when  the  last  torn 
leather  of  the  last  boot  had  been  eaten,  then  they  cut  away  through  the 
midst  of  their  enemies  and  siicceeded  in  saving  themselves.  All  this 
hardship  was  undergone  without  the  least  arriPre-pemee,  without  even  the 
hope  of  any  appreciable  reward,  ])rompted  only  by  their  duty  and  the 
desire  of  showing  a  proper  valour  before  their  enemies." 

This  is  a  noble  record  of  valour  and  military  virtue. 
I  rememljer  the  appearance  of  this  letter  in  the  Times, 
and  the  impression  it  made  jn  myself  and  friends.  It 
was  only  a  few  days  after  the  appearance  of  this  letter 
that  we  began  to  discuss  ways  and  means  of  relief  for 
the  wiiter. 

The  following  letter  also  impressed  me  very  strongly. 
It  is  written  to  Dr.  R.  W.  Felkin  on  the  same  date, 
December  31,  1885. 

*  *  Hi  )|i  Id  III 

"  You  will  probably  know  through  the  daig  T>apers  tha:  poor  Lupton, 


li   ' 


LETTERS  FROM  EMIN  BEY  IN  1%S^-Q. 


27 


nftcr  having  bravely  held  the  Bahr-Ghazal  Province  was  compelled,  tlirough 
the  treachery  of  his  own  people,  to  surrender  to  the  emissaries  of  the  late 
Madhi,  and  was  carried  by  tliem  to  Kordofaij." 

"  My  province  and  also  myself  I  only  saved  from  a  like  fate  by  a 
stratagem,  but  at  last  I  was  attacked,  and  many  losses  in  both  men  and 
ammunition  were  the  resiilt,  until  1  delivered  such  a  heavy  blow  to  the 
reliels  at  Itimo,  in  Makraka.  that  compelled  them  to  leave  me  alone. 
Before  this  took  place  they  informed  us  that  Khartoum  tell,  in  January, 
]885,  and  that  Gordon  was  killed." 

"  Naturally  on  account  of  these  occurrences  1  have  been  compelled  to 
evacuate  our  more  distant  stations,  and  withdiaw  our  soldiers  and  their 
families,  still  hoping  that  our  Government  will  send  us  helji.  It  seems, 
however,  that  1  have  deceived  myscll,  for  since  April,  1883,  1  have 
received  no  news  of  any  kind  from  the  north." 

"  The  Government  in  Khartoum  did  not  hehavewell  tons.  Before  they 
evacuated  Fashoda,  they  ought  to  have  remembered  that  Government 
officials  were  living  here  (Equatorial  Provinces)  who  had  i)erforraed 
their  duty,  and  had  not  deserved  to  be  left  to  their  fate  without  more 
ado.  Even  if  it  were  the  intention  of  the  Government  to  deliver  us  over 
to  our  fate,  the  least  they  could  have  done  was  to  have  released  us  from 
our  duties ;  we  should  then  have  known  that  we  were  considered  to  have 
become  valueless." 


"  Anyway  it  was  necessary  for  ns  to  seek  some  way  of  escape,  and  in 
the  first  i)lace  it  was  urgent  to  send  news  of  our  existence  in  Egypt. 
With  this  object  in  view  I  went  south,  after  having  made  the  necessary 
arrangements  at  Lado,  and  came  to  Wadelai." 

Hi  *  ll>  *  K<  >l< 

"  As  to  my  future  ])lans,  I  intend  to  hold  this  country  as  long  as 
possible.  1  hope  that  when  our  letters  arrive  in  Eg\  pt,  in  seven  or  eiglit 
months,  a  reply  will  be  sent  to  me  via  Khartoum  or  Zanzibar.  If  the 
Egyptian  Government  still  exists  in  the  Soudan  we  naturally  expect 
them  to  send  us  help.  If,  however,  the  Soudan  has  been  evacuated,  I 
shall  take  the  whole  of  the  people  towards  the  south.  I  shall  then  send 
the  whole  of  the  Egyjitian  and  Khartoum  othcials  r/ct  Uganda  or  Karagwe 
to  Zanzibar,  but  shall  remain  myself  with  my  black  troo))s  at  Kabba- 
Rege's  until  the  (iovernnient  inform  me  as  to  their  wishes." 

This  is  very  clear  tluit  Emiii  Paslia  at  this  time 
proposed  to  relieve  himself  of  the  Egyptian  ofhcials, 
and  that  he  himself  ony  intended  to  remain  until  the 
Eoyptian  Government  could  (tonmiunicate  to  him  its 
wishes.  Those  "  wishes  "  were  that  lie  should  abandon 
his  province,  as  they  were  unable  to  maintain  it,  and 
take  advantage  of  the  escort  to  leave  Africa. 

In  a  letter  written  to  JMr.  ^lackay  dated  July  6tli, 
1886,  Emin  says  : — 

"  In  the  first  place  believe  me  that  I  am  in  no  hurry  to  break  away 
from  here,  v^r  to  leave  those  countries  in  which  I  have  now  laboured  for 
ten  years." 

♦  ♦*♦♦* 

"  All  my  people,  but  esi^ecially  the  negro  troops,  entertain   a  strong 


|9Bi 


M**^  ■«'»'■■  ■ 


28 


IN   DARKEST  AFRICA. 


objection  against  a  march  to  the  south  and  thence  to  Egypt,  and  mean  to 
remain  here  until  they  can  be  taken  north.  Meantime,  if  no  danger 
overtakes  us,  and  onr  ammunition  holds  out  for  some  time  longer,  I  mean 
to  follow  your  advice  and  remain  here  nntil  help  comes  to  us  from  some 
quarter.  At  all  events,  you  may  rest  assured  that  we  ■will  occasion  no 
disturbance  to  you  in  Uganda." 

"  I  shall  determine  on  a  march  to  the  coast  only  in  a  case  of  dire 
necessity.  There  are,  moreover,  two  other  routes  before  me.  One  from 
Kabba-llega's  direct  to  Karagwe  ;  the  other  v!a  Usongora  to  the  stations 
at  Tanganika.  I  hope,  however,  that  I  shall  have  no  need  to  make  use  of 
either." 

"  My  people  have  become  impatient  through  long  delay,  and  are 
anxiously  looking  for  help  at  last.  It  would  also  be  most  desirable  that 
some  Commissioner  came  here  from  Eurojje,  either  direct  by  the  Masai 
route,  or  from  Karagwe  via,  KabbaRega's  country,  in  order  that  my  people 
may  actually  see  that  there  is  some  interest  taken  in  them.  I  would 
defray  with  ivory  all  expenses  of  such  a  Ccmimission." 

"  As  I  once  more  repeat,  I  am  ready  to  stay  and  to  hold  these 
countries  as  long  a"  I  can  until  help  comes,  and  I  beseech  you  to  do  what 
you  can  to  hasten  the  arrival  of  such  assistance.  Assure  iNIwanga  that  he 
has  nothing  to  fear  from  me  or  my  people,  and  that  as  an  old  friend  of 
Mtesa's  I  have  no  intention  to  trouble  him." 


In  the  above  letters  we  have  Emin  Bey's  views, 
wherein  we  gather  that  his  people  are  loyal — that  is 
they  are  obedient  to  his  commands,  but  that  none  of 
them,  judging  from  the  tenour  of  the  letters,  express , 
any  inclination  to  return  to  Egypt,  excepting  ^he 
Eg}^ptians.  He  is  at  the  same  time  pondering  upe  u 
the  routes  by  which  it  is  possible  to  retreat — elsewhere 
he  suggests  the  Monbuttu  route  to  the  sea  ;  in  these 
letters  he  hints  at  Masai  Land,  or  through  Unyoro, 
and  west  of  Uganda  to  Usongora,  and  thence  to  Tan- 
ganika 1  If  none  of  the  black  troops  intended  to  follow 
him,  he  certainly  could  not  have  done  so  with  only  the 
Egyptian  officials  and  their  families. 

From  the  following  letters  from  the  Consul-Oeneral, 
F.  Holmwood,  to  Sir  Evelyn  Baring,  dated  September 
25th  and  September  27th,  we  gather  Mr.  Holmwood's 
views,  who,  from  his  position  and  local  knowledge, 
was  very  competent  to  furnish  information  as  to  what 
could  be  done  in  the  way  of  the  proposed  relief. 

"  In  Emin's  letters  to  me  he  only  reports  his  situation  up  to  27th 
February,  188G,  when  he  proposed  evacuating  his  province  by  detach- 
ments, the  first  of  which  he  proposed  to  despatch  at  the  close  of  the  rains 
toward  the  end  of  July;  but  both  Dr.  Junker  and  Mr.  Mackay  inform  nie 


EM  IN  BEY'S    VIEWS   OF  II J  S    PEOPLE. 


29 


the 

leneval, 

ml)er 

wood  s 

ledge, 

what 


that  they  have  since  heard  from  Eiiiin  tliat  tlie  majority  of  the  4000 
loyal  Egyptian  subjects  who  have  remained  faithful  to  Egypt  throughout, 
and  h  ive  supported  him  in  the  face  of  tlio  constant  attacks  from  the 
Mahdi's  adherents,  aggravated  by  an  imminent  danger  of  starvation, 
refuse  to  leave  their  country,  and  he  had  therefore  detcrniired,  if  he 
could  possibly  do  so,  to  remain  at  his  post,  and  continue  to  protect 
Egyptian  interests  till  r jlief  arrived." 

****** 

"  Wore  Uganda  freed  from  this  tyrant  (Mwanga),  the  Equatorial 
Province,  even  should  the  present  elementary  system  of  communication 
remain  unmoditied,  would  be  witliin  eight  weeks'  ])ost  of  Zanzibar,  and  a 
safe  depot  on  the  Albert  Nyanza  would  provide  a  base  for  any  further 
operations  that  might  be  decided  urwrn." 

"  Dr.  Junker  states  that  the  country  to  the  east  of  the  Ripon  Fallf** 
has  proved  impracticable,  and  that  Emin  has  lost  many  trdops  in  e)i- 
deavouring  to  open  communication  through  it.  If  such  be  the  case  the 
alternative  line  by  which  Dr.  Fischer  tried  to  relieve  Junker,  and  which 
I  believe  he  still  recommends,  could  not  be  relied  on  for  turning  Uganda 
and  its  eastern  dependency,  and  the  well-known  route  vhi  Uganda  would 
be  the  only  one  available  tor  an  Expedition  of  moderate  size." 

"  As  far  as  I  am  able  to  judge,  without  making  any  special  calculation, 
I  consider  that  1200  porters  would  be  the  smallest  number  that  v.-.rald 
suffice,  and  a   well-armed    guard  of   at  least  500    natives    would    be 

necessary." 

*  *  *  *  *  * 

"  General  Matthews,  whom  I  had  consulted  as  to  the  force  necessary 
for  the  safety  of  the  Expedition,  is  of  opinion  that  I  have  formed  far  too 
low  an  estimate,  but  after  weighing  the  testimony  of  many  experienced 
persons  acquainted  with  Uganda,  I  must  adhere  to  my  opinion  that  500 
ll,ltl^•o  troops  armed  with  modern  rifles  and  under  experienced  persons, 
Mould,  )f  supplemented  by  the  irregular  force,  fully  suffice." 

An  American  officer  of  the  Khedivial  Government 
writes  to  Mr.  Portal,  and  suggests  that  communication 
with  Emin  might  be  opened  by  the  Zanzibar  Arabs,  but 
that  to  send  stores  and  ammunition  to  him  was  im- 
possible ;  that  the  Arabs  might  manage  for  his  passage, 
though  his  safest  line  of  retreat  was  westward  to  reach 
the  Congo. 

Mr.  Fred  Holm  wood,  in  his  despatch  to  the  Foreign 
Office  of  September  23rd,  1886,  writes  that,  "had  it 
not  been  for  the  danoerous  attitude  of  the  Kino;  of 
Uganda,  the  question  of  relieving  Emin  would  have 
l)een  merely  one  of  expenditure  to  be  settled  at  Cairo ; 
but  under  present  circumstances,  many  other  serious 
considerations  are  involved  in  it  which  will  have  to  be 
referred  to  Her  Majesty's  Government. 

*  This  route  would  be  through  Masai  Land. 


■■^TiaW^'MMi 


80 


IN  D  AUK  EST  AFRICA. 


"  I  would  call  attention  to  the  at-eount  contained  in 
Mr.  Mackay's  letter  regarding  the  alternative  route  to 
Wadelai  which  Dr.  Fischer  endeavoured  to  take  and,  I 
believe,  still  recommends.  If  this  statement  be  correct, 
any  attempt  to  turn  Uganda  or  its  Eastern  dependency 
by  this  unexplored  line  would  pro])ably  fail." 

Mr.  A.  M.  Mackay  writes  from  Uganda,  May  14th, 
1886.— 

"  From  Dr.  Junker's  letter  you  will  have  seen  that  Emin  Bey  has  had 
the  good  fortune  to  hi  v^e  secured  the  loyalty  of  the  people  he  governs. 
Eriiin  seems  to  have  learned  Gordon's  secret  of  securing  the  afiection  of 
his  subjects,  and  has  bravely  stuck  to  them.  There  can  be  no  doubt 
at  all  but  that  had  he  been  anxious  to  leave  he  would  with  a  few  hundred 
of  his  soldiers  have  easily  made  a  dash  for  the  coast  either  through  the 
Masai  Land  or  this  way,  asking  no  permi.ssion  from  Mwanga  (King  of 
Uganda)  or  anyone  else.  He  knows  that  there  is  no  power  here  able  to 
stop  him.  In  fact  years  ago  he  wrote  me  that  it  would  be  nothing 
to  him  to  storm  this  wretched  village  and  drive  off  the  cattle."' 

"  But  what  would  be  the  fate  of  thousands  of  people  who  have 
remained  loyal  on  tlie  Upper  Nile  ?  Dr.  Junker  sjieaks  of  thousands. 
They  do  not  want  to  be  taken  out  of  their  own  fertile  country,  and  taken 
to  the  deserts  of  Upper  Egypt.' 

"  Dr.  Emin  is  on  all  hands  allowed  to  be  a  wise  and  able  Governor. 
But  he  cannot  remain  for  ever  where  he  is,  nor  can  he  succeed  himself, 
even  should  the  Mah<ii's  troops  leave  him  undisturbed  in  the  future. 
His  peculiar  position  should  be  taken  advantage  of  by  our  country,  w  hich 
undertook  to  rescue  the  garrisons  of  the  Soudan." 

Hf  *  iti  4i  Hi  »■ 

"  Mwanga's  action  with  respect  to  the  letters  forwarded  him  for 
Dr.  Emin,  was  as  disrespectful  as  possible  to  the  British  Government 
which  had  received  with  such  kindness  his  father's  envoys.  We  asked 
him  merely  to  forward  the  letters  in  the  first  place  until  he  should 
receive  word  from  Emin  as  to  whether  or  not  he  was  prepared  to  come 
this  way,  but  he  detained  your  packet  altogether." 

In  Mr.  Mackay's  letter  to  Sir  John  Kirk,  June  28th, 
1886,  he  says  : — 

"  Dr.  Fischer's  difficulties  would  also  only  really  begin  after  Kavirondo, 
as  he  then  had  the  country  of  the  dreaded  Bakedi  to  cross,  and  Dr. 
Junker  tells  me  that  whole  parties  of  Dr.  Emin's  soldiers  have  been 
repeatedly  murdered  by  them." 

Dr.  Fischer,  it  will  be  remembered,  was  engaged  to 
proceed  to  Equatoria  in  search  of  Dr.  Junker  by  that 
traveller's  brother,  and  chose  the  road  via  East  coast  of 
the  Victoria  Lake.  Arriving  at  the  N.E.  corner  of  the 
Lake  he  returned  to  the  coast. 

Mr.  Mackay  proceeds  : — 


LETTERS  FROM  MR.   A.    M.   MAC  KAY. 


31 


"  Pr.  Junker  is  living  here  with  us.  He  brought  mo  a  letter  from  Emin 
Boy  (lilted  the  27th  January  (188G).  He  then  proposed  sending  his  people 
at  once  this  way — some  4000 — in  small  detachments.  This  policy  would 
Ix!  fatal.  He  also  asked  me  to  go  to  meet  liim  with  a  view  to  bringing 
here  two  steamers  whicli  otherwise  he  would  have  to  abandon.  One  of 
them  he  meant  for  tlie  King,  and  the  other  for  the  mission." 

"  Since  then,  however,  he  finds  that  his  peojjle,  officers  and  men,  refuse 
to  leave  the  Soudan,  hence  he  is  prepared  to  remain  some  years  with 
them  provided  only  he  can  get  supplies  of  cloth,  etc." 

Mr.  Mackay  always  writes  sensibly.  I  obtained  a 
great  deal  of  solid  information  from  these  letters. 

Naturally  he  writes  in  the  full  belief  that  Emin's 
troops  are  loyal.  We  all  shared  in  this  l)elief.  We 
now  see  that  we  were  grossly  misled,  and  that  at  no 
time  could  Emin  have  cut  his  way  to  the  coast  tlirougli 
Uganda  or  any  other  country  with  men  of  such  fibre  as 
his  ignorant  and  stolid  Soudanese. 

Mr.  Joseph  Thomson,  in  a  letter  to  the  Times, 
suggested  a  route  through  the  Masai  Land,  and  proposed 
to  be  responsible  for  the  safe  conduct  of  a  Relief  Expe- 
dition through  that  country. 

j\Ir.  J.  T.  Wills  suggested  that  the  Mobangi- Welle 
would  prove  an  excellent  way  to  Emin. 

Mr.  Harrison  Smith  expressed  himself  assured  that  a 
way  by  Abyssinia  would  ])e  found  feasible. 

Another  gentleman  interested  in  the  African  Lakes 
Company  proposed  that  the  Expedition  should  adopt 
the  Zambezi-Shire-Nyassa  route,  and  thence  via  Tanga- 
nika  north  to  Muta  Nzige  and  Lake  All)ert,  and  a 
missionary  from  the  Tanganika  warmly  endorsed  it,  as 
not  presenting  more  difficulties  than  any  other. 

Dr.  Felkin,  in  the  '  Scottish  Geographical  Magazine,' 
after  examining  several  routes  carefully,  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  a  road  west  of  Lake  Victoria  and  Ka- 
ragwe,  through  Usongora  to  Lake  Albert,  possessed 
some  advantao-es  over  anv  other. 

Early  in  October,  1886,  Sir  William  Mackinnon  and 
Mr.  J.  F.  Ilutton,  ex-President  of  the  Manchester 
Chamber  of  Commerce,  had  spoken  with  me  respecting 
the  possibiliti(is  of  conveying  relief  to  Emin,  with  a 
view  to  enable  him  to  hold  his  own.  To  them  it  seemed 
that  he  only  required  ammunition,  and  I  shared  their 


32 


7^   DARKEST  AFRICA. 


opinion,  and  they  were  very  eurncst  in  their  intention 
to  collect  funds  for  tiie  support  he  recjuired.  But  niuny 
of  their  friends  were  absent  from  town,  and  they  (;ould 
not  decide  alone  what  should  be  done  without  consulta- 
tion. We  discussed  estimates  and  routes,  and  Mr. 
Hutton  informs  me  that  the  rough  estimate  I  furnished 
him  then  exceeds  by  £500  the  actual  cost  of  the 
Expedition. 

As  for  routes,  I  intimated  to  them  that  there  were 
four  almost  equally  feasible. 

The  first,  via  Alasai  Land,  was  decidedly  objectionable 
while  carrying  a  vast  store  of  ammunition  which  abso- 
lutely must  rea(;li  Emin.  Mr  Thomson  had  tiled  it, 
and  his  account  of  the  extremities  to  which  he  was  driven 
on  returning  from  the  Lake  Victoria,  for  want  of  water 
and  grain,  were  extremely  unfavourable.  In  proceeding  to 
the  lake  his  people  were  dispirited,  and  deserted  in  such 
numbers  that  he  was  obliged  to  return  a  short  distance, 
to  Kilima  Njaro,  lea\^e  his  camp  there,  and  proceed  with  a 
few  men  back  to  the  coast  to  recruit  more  men.  In  case 
of  a  pressing  necessity  like  this  it  would  be  extremely 
unwise  to  return  a  mile  after  commencnng  the  march. 
The  tendency  of  the  Zanzibaris  to  desert  also  was 
another  disadvantage,  and  desertion  of  late  from  East 
CV^ast  Expeditions  had  assumed  alarming  proportions 
owing  to  the  impunity  with  which  they  could  decamp 
with  rifles  and  loads,  and  the  number  of  opportunities 
presented  to  them.  Many  of  the  Zanzibaris  had  become 
professional  advance -jumpers,  and  the  greater  the 
expedition  the  greater  would  be  the  loss  in  money, 
riHes  and  stores. 

The  second,  via  Victoria  Nyanza  and  Uganda,  which 
was  naturally  the  best,  was  rendered  impossible  for  a 
small  expedition  because  of  the  hostility  of  Uganda, 
Even  this  hostility  could  be  avoided  if  there  were  any 
vessels  on  Lake  Victoria  capable  of  transporting  across 
the  lake  such  an  expedition  as  was  needed.  The  danger 
of  desertion  was  just  as  imminent  on  this  as  on  the  first. 

The  third  was  via  Msalala,  Karagwe'  and  Ankori,  and 
Unyoro  and   Lake  Albert.     Immense  loss  of  men  and 


i 


Ma 


houTKs  sraaKsTi'Ji)  ivu  emis  s  niiUF.F. 


33 


ention 
,  many 
'  could 
tiHulta- 
d  Mr. 
L'lnslicd 
of    the 

re  were 

tioiutble 
li  a])!^o- 
Diied  it, 
8  driven 
of  water 
eding  to 

in  such 
listance, 
id  with  a 

In  case 

tremely 
march. 

Iso   was 
lom  East 

portions 
decamp 

rtunities 
become 

ter    the 
money, 

la,  which 
Kle  for  a 
I  Uganda, 
Ivere  any 
lo-  across 
le  danger 
J  the  first. 
|kori,  and 
len  and 


o-oods  would  assuHMlly  follow  any  attempt  tVoni  the 
Kast  Coast,  l^'ifty  per  (;cnt.  loss  was  iniavoidaldc,  and 
no  pi'ccautions  woul<l  avail  to  prevent  '  desertion. 
Besides,  Karagwe  was  gai'iisoned  hy  the  Waganda,  and 
no  ex})edition  could  pass  through  that  country  without 
persistent  hostility  from  the  Waganda.  If  fortunate 
enou'di  to  for('C  our  wav  throujih  Karaowe,  we  should 
have  to  reckon  wtli  the  Wanyankori,  who  numher 
200,000  spears,  and  if  intnuUiced  to  them  hy  fighting 
the  Karagwe  natives  the  outlook  would  })e  dismal  in  the 
extreme.  As  for  going  through  any  country  west  of 
Karagw^  to  avoid  the  Waganda  that  would  be  impos- 
sible, ex(*cpt  at  a  cost  that  I  did  not  suppose  the  sub- 
scril)ers  would  (contemplate  paying. 

'•  The  whole  (juestion  resolves  itself  into  that  of  money. 
With  money  enough  every  route  is  possible ;  but  as 
I  understand  it,  you  propose  to  su])s('ribe  a  moderate 
anumnt,  and  therefore  here  is  only  one  route  which 
is  safely  open  for  the  money,  and  that  is  the  Congo. 
This  river  has  the  disadvantafj^e  of  not  havin<»'  enouuh 
transport  vessels  in  its  upper  portion.  I  would  propose 
then  to  supplement  the  Upper  Congo  flotilla  with 
fifteen  whale-boats,  which  will  take  an  Expecbtion  to 
within  200  miles,  at  least,  of  the  Albert  Nyanza.  A 
heavy  lal)our  will  l)e  carrying  the  whale-boats  from  the 
Lower  (*ongo  to  the  Upper,  but  we  can  easily  manage 
it  l)y  sending  agents  at  once  there  to  prepare  carriers. 
There  is  one  thing,  however,  hat  must  be  done — which 
is  to  ol)tain  the  sanction  of  King  Leopold. 

'  But  it  may  be  we  are  rather  premature  in  dis- 
cussing the  matter  at  all.  You  know  I  am  aware 
of  many  projects  mooted,  and  much  'talk'  has  been 
expended  on  each  and  this  may  end  in  smoke — collect 
your  funds,  and  then  call  upon  me  if  you  want  me. 
If  you  do  not  re(|uire  me  after  this  exposition  of 
my  views,  let  Thomson  take  his  Expedition  through 
the  Masai  Land,  and  put  me  down  for  £500  subscrip- 
tion for  it." 

As  the  middle  of  November  drew  near,  Sir  W^illiam 
i\bickinnon  requested  me  to  write  him  a  letter  upon  the 

VOL.  I.  D 


I   J:'. 


34 


IN  D  AUK  EST  A  Fine  A. 


subject  that  he  might  show  it  to  his  friends,  who  would 
soon  he  returning  to  town. 

A  few  days  after  the  despatch  of  the  letter,  I  sailed 
for  America,  and  on  arrival  at  New  York,  the  lecture 
"  Tour,"  as  it  is  called,  commenced.  But  on  the 
11  til  Deceml)er,  the  fifteenth  day  after  arrival,  I  received 
the  lollowing  : — - 

"  London. 
"  Your  plan  iiiid  offui  aciopJcd.     Authorities  p|>prove.   Funds  provided. 
Business  urgent.    Come  pronii)tly.    Eeply. 

"  MACKINNON." 

A  reply  was  sent  from  St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont,  for 
thus  far  the  lecture  tour  had  reached,  as  follows  : — 

•  Just  received  Moi.'iay's  cal)lep;riim.  Many  thanks.  Everything,'  all 
right.  Will  sail  per  Kuh-r  -t  a.m.  Wednesday  morning.  If  good  weather 
and  barring  accidents  arrive  2i2nd  Deceml>er,  Southampton.  It  is  only 
one  month's  delay  after  all.  Tell  tlic  authorities  to  prepiro  Holmwood 
(Consul  (ieneral)  Zanzibar,  aud  Seyyid  Barghash  (Prince  of  Zaiizibar). 
Be.st  complimen  s  to  you. 

"  Stanley." 

My  agent  was  in  despair — the  audiences  were  so  kind 
— the  receptions  were  ovations,  but  arguments  and 
entreaties  were  of  no  avail. 

I  arrived  in  England  the  day  preceding  Christmas, 
and  within  a  few  hours  Sir  William  Mackinnon  and 
myself  were  discussing  the  Expedition. 

Uf  course,  and  without  the  least  shade  of  doubt,  I 
was  firmly  convinced  that  the  Congo  River  route  was 
infinitely  the  best  and  safest,  provided  that  I  should  get 
my  flotilla  of  wiiaie-boats,  and  the  permission  of  King 
Leopold  to  pass  through  his  teriiiory  with  an  armed 
force.  I  knew  a  route  from  the  East  Coast,  and  was 
ecpuUly  ac(piainted  with  that  from  the  West  Coast. 
From  the  furthest  point  reached  by  me  in  1870,  along 
the  East  (bast  road,  the  distance  was  l)ut  100  miles 
to  Lake  All)ert — from  Yambuya  Rapids  the  distance 
was  322  geographical  miles  in  an  air  line  to  the  lake. 
Yet  to  the  best  of  my  judgment  the  Congo  route  was 
preferable  We  should  have  abundance  of  water — 
which  was  so  scanty  and  bad  along  the  Eastern  I'oute  ; 
food  there  must  be  ~  it  was  natural  to  expect  it  from  my 
knowledge  that  unsurpassed  fertility  such  as  the   Upper 


■1 


~'^ 


''A 


AN  EMIN  RELIEF  FUND   RAISED. 


35 


Congo    regions    possesses   would    luive   been    long   ago 

discovered  by  the  aborigines,   whereas   we  knew   from 

Thomson,  Fischer,  and   Hannington's  experiences  that 

food  and  water  was  scanty  in  Masai  Land  ;   then  again, 

that  wholesale  desertion  so  frecjuent  on  the  East  Coast 

would  be  avoided  on  the  West  C^oast, 

Yet  notwithstanding  they  admitted  that  I  might  l»e 

light,  it  was  the  opinion  of  the  Committee  that  it  would 

be  best  to  adopt  the  Eastern  route. 

"  Very  good,  it  is  jx;i  fectly  immaterial  to  me.  Let  \is  decide  on  tlie  East 
Coast  route,  via  Msalala,  Knra^we,  Aiikori,  and  Unyoro.  If  joii  hear  of 
some  hard-fighting,  I  look  to  yon  that  you  will  defend  the  absent.  If  I 
could  dro})  this  ammunition  in  Emin's  camp  from  a  balloon  I  certainly 
would  do  so,  and  avoid  coming  in  contact  with  those  warlike  natives,  liut 
it  is  decided  that  the  means  of  defence  must  be  put  into  Emin's  hautls, 
and  you  have  entrusted  me  with  the  escort  of  it.     So  be  it."' 

A  Relief  Fund  was  raised,  the  sul)scriptions  to  which 
were  as  follows  :—  ^ 

Sir  William  Mackinnon,  Bart.       .      .  2,000 

Peter  Mackinnon,  Esq 1,000 

John  Mackinnon,  Es(| 300 

Baroness  Burdett-Coutts    ....  100 

W.  Burdett-Coutts,  Esij 400 

James  8.  Jameson,  Es(| 1,000 

Countess  de  Xoailles 1,000 

Peter  Denny,  Es([.,  of  Duml)arton  .  1,000 
Henry  Johnson  Younger,  Es(|.,  of  the 

Scottish  Geographical  Society  .  .  500 
Alexander    L.    Bruce,    Es(|.,    of    the 

Scottish  Geographical  Society   .      .  500 

Messrs.  Gi'ay,  Dawes  k  Vo.,  of  London  1,000 

Duncan  Mac  Neil,  Es(j 700 

James  F.  Hutton,  Es(j.,  of  Manchester  250 

Sir  Thos.  Fowell  Buxton    .      .      .      .  250 

James  Hall,  Es(|.,  of  Argvleshire  .      .  250 

N.  Mc.Michael,  Es(].,  of  Glasgow   .       .  250 

Royal  (Jeographical  Society,  London  .  1,000 

Egyptian  Government       ....  10,000 


£21,500* 
*  See  Ap))endix  for  full  statement  of  Receipts  and  E.vpeuditurc. 


5 


36 


JN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


''  -i;i 


In  order  to  increase  the  funds  and  create  a  provision 
aijainst  continojencies,  I  volunteered  to  write  letters 
from  Africa,  which  the  Committee  might  dispose  of  to 
the  press  as  they  saw  fit,  and  accept  whatever  moneys 
that  might  receive  as  my  contribution  to  it. 

The  estimate  of  time  required  to  reach  Emin  Pasha, 
after  a  careful  calculation,  was  formed  on  the  basis  that 
whereas  I  travelled  in  1874-5  a  distance  of  720  miles 
in  103  days,  therefore  : — 

1st  route. — By  Masai  Lanl,  march  to  Wadelai  and  return  to  coast 
14  months.    Eoserve  for  delays  4  months  =  18  months. 

2nd  route. — By  Msalala,  Karagwe,  Ankori,  and  Usongora  to  Lake 
Albert.  Land  march  to  and  return  16  mouths,  delays 
4  months  -  20  months. 

3rd  route. —  Via  Congo. 

Zanzibar  to  Congo        .         .     1  mth.  =    1st  April,  1887 
Overland  route  to  Stanley  Pool  1     ,,    =    1st  May     „ 
By  steam  up  the  Congo        .      1^  „    =  15th  June    „ 

Halt 25th    „ 

Yambuya  to  Albert  Nyanza.     3  mths  =  2Jth  Se])t.,  1887 

Halt 9th  Jan.,  1888 

Albert  Nyanza  to  Zanzibar,)  o 


land  march 
Delays 


31 


=    8th  Sept. 
=  18  months. 


4' 
^1 


.1 


The  actual  time,  however,  occupied  by  the  Expedition 
is  as  follows  : — 


Arrive  at  Congo     ..... 

„       „  Stanley  Pool    .... 

„       „  Yambuya         .... 

Halt  at  Yambuya  .... 

Albert  Nyanza       ..... 

Return  to  Fort  Bodo       .... 

Halt  while  collecting  convalescents 

The  Albert  Nyanza,  2ud  time 

Halt  nniil      ...... 

Fort  Bodo  again     ..... 

Banalya  90  nn'les  from  Yambuya 

Fort  Bodo  again     ..... 

Albert  Nyanza,  3rd  time 

Halt  near  Albert  Nyanza  until 

March  to  Zanzibar,  1400  miles,  G  months. 

So  that  we  actually  occupied  a  little  over 
Zanzibar  to  the  Albert  Nyanza,  and 
from  the  Nyanza  to  the  Indian  Ocean. 

Halt  at  the  Albert         .         .         . 


18th  Mar., 

1887 

21st  Apr. 

>J 

15th  June 

jj 

28th    „ 

a 

13th  Dec. 

yy 

8th  Jan., 

1888 

2nd  Apr. 

jj 

18th     „ 

99 

25th  May 

a 

8th  June 

ft 

17th  Aug. 

it 

20th  Dec. 

tt 

2Gth  Jan., 

1889 

8th  May 

.•' 

Gth  Dec. 

)) 

lOi  months  from 

0        „ 

li       ., 

18 


Ai 
in 

d.. 
or( 


PURCHASING    GOODS  FOR    THE  EXPEDITION. 


.37 


I  was  formally  informed  by  letter  <m  the  31st  of 
December,  1886,  that  I  might  commence  my  preparations. 

The  first  order  I  gave  in  connection  with  the  Ex})edi- 
tion  for  the  relief  of  Eniin  Bey  was  by  ca])le  to  Zanzibar 
to  my  agent,  jMr.  Edmund  ^hickenzie,  of  Messrs.  Smith, 
^lackenzie  &  Co.,  to  engage  200  Wanyamwezi  porters 
at  Bagamoyo  to  convey  as  many  loads  of  rice  ( =  6  tons) 
to  the  missionary  station  at  Mpwapwa,  which  was  about 
200  miles  east  of  Zanzibar,  the  cost  of  which  was 
2,700  rupees. 

The  second  order,  after  receiving  the  consent  of  J I  is 
Highness  the  Seyyid  of  Zanzi])ar,  was  to  enlist  (iCO 
Zanzibari  porters,  and  also  the  purchase  of  the  following 
goods,  to  be  used  for  barter  for  native  provisions,  such  as 
grain,  potatoes,  rice,  Indian  corn,  bfuianas,  plantains,  etc. 


865  „  (8  „  „ 

99  „  (8  „  „ 

80  „  (8  „  „ 

214  „  (8  „  „ 

107  „  (8  „  „ 

27  „  (8  „  „ 

121  „  (8  „  „ 

S8  „  (24  „  „ 

Hi)  „  (H  „  „ 

W  „  (4  „ 

27  „  (4  „  „ 

^■1  „  (24  „  „ 

^8  „  (8  „  „ 

«  „  (30  „  „ 

24  „  (4  „  „ 

^i  ,,  (4  „  „ 

21  „  (4  „  „ 

13  „  (4  „  „ 

3  „  (30  ,,  „ 
24  long  shirts,  white 

24  „        „  brown 


Yanlj*. 

)  of  1  'own  f- 

hecting 

.     12,000 

)  of  kaniki 

,                   , 

.       C,920 

)  lian(lkcicl)iefs 

792 

)  tanjii'i 

040 

)  (labwaui 

.       1,712 

)  Koliari 

850 

)  siibaya 

216 

)  Barhiati 

968 

)  kuiigiiru 

.       1,392 

)  ismaili 

384 

)  kikoi  . 

952 

)  daolo  . 

56 

).auah. 

108 

)  vaiipi. 

96 

)   lindera 

96 

)  reliani 

464 

)joho    . 

180 

)  silk  kikoi 

96 

)  silk  ilaole 

96 

)  tine  (labw 

aiii 

96 

)  sohari. 

,                   , 

52 

)  fine  sht'ctiug 

90 

Total  yards 


27,262 


Also  3,600  lbs.  of  beads  and  1  ton  of  wire,  brass,  copper, 
iron. 

The  third  order  was  for  the  pui-chase  of  forty  pack 
donkeys  and  ten  riding  asses,  which  necessitated  an 
order  for  saddles  to  match,  at  an  expense  of  £400. 

Messrs.  Forrest  &  Son  received  a  design  and  order 


i 


s 


38 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


for  the  construction  of  u  steel  l)oat  28  ft,  long,  G  ft. 
l)eam,  and  2  ft.  6  in.  deep.  It  was  to  ])e  built  of 
Siemens  steel  galvanized,  and  divided  into  twelve 
section",  each  weighing  about  75  11  )s.  The  fore  and 
aft  sections  were  to  be  decked  and  watertight,  to  give 
buoyancy  in  case  of  accident. 

From  Egypt  were  despatched  to  Zanzibar  510 
Kemington  riHes,  2  tons  of  gunpowder,  350  000  per- 
cussion caps,  and  100,000  rounds  Remington  tjnmuni- 
tion.  In  England  the  War  (Jffic^e  furnished  me  with 
30,000  (jatling  cartridges,  and  from  ^Messrs.  Kynocli  & 
Co.,  13irmingham,  I  received  35,000  special  Remington 
cartridges.  Messrs.  Watson  &  Co.,  of  4,  Pall  MnW, 
packed  up  50  Winchester  repeaters  and  50,000  Win- 
chester cartridges.  Iliram  Maxim,  the  inventor  of  the 
]\laxini  Automatic.  Gun,  donated  as  a  gift  one  of  his 
wonderful  weapons,  with  shield  attached  mounted  on 
a  light  but  effective  stand. 

We  despatched  to  Zanzil)ar  100  shovels,  100  hoes, 
foi-  forming  breastworks,  100  axes  for  palisading  the 
camp,  100  bill-hooks  for  building  zeribas, 

Messrs.  Burroughs  &  Welcome,  of  Snowhill  Buildings, 
Jiondon,  tlie  well-known  chemists,  furnished  gratis  nine 
beautiful  chests  replete  with  every  medicament  neces- 
sary to  combat  the  endemic,  diseases  peculiar  to  Afi'ica. 
Evoy  drug  was  in  tablets  mixed  witli  (juick  solvents, 
every  compartment  was  well  stocked  with  essentials  for 
the  doctor  and  surgeon.  Nothing  was  omitted,  and  we 
all  owe  a  deep  debt  of  gratitude  to  these  gentlemen,  not 
only  for  the  intrinsic  value  of  these  chests  and  excellent, 
medicines,  but  also  for  tlie  personal  selection  of  the  liest 
that  L(jnd(m  could  furnish,  and  the  supervision  of  the 
packing,  by  which  means  we  were  enabled  to  transport 
them  to  Yambuva  without  damaue. 

]\Iessrs.  John  Edgington  &  Co.,  of  Duke  Street, 
IiOn(h)n,  took  charge  of  our  tents,  and  made  them  out 
of  canvas  dipped  in  a  preservative  of  sulphate  of  copper, 
wliicli  preserved  them  for  three  years.  Notwithstanding 
their  exposure  to  three  hundred  days  of  I'ain,  for  the 
fii'st  time  in  my  experience  in   Africa  I  possessed  a  tent 


rVIiCIIASEti    FOIi    USE   OF    THE   JiELlEF  EXJ'EDJTJOX.     39 

vvliieli,  after  arrival  at  Zaiizil)ar  in    1889,  was  well  able 
to  endure  two  hundred  days  more  of  rain. 

Messrs.  Fortnuni  &  Mason,  v)f  Piccadilly,  packed  up 
forty  carrier  loads  of  choicest  provis.onr.  Every  article 
was  superb,  the  tea  retained  its  flavour  to  the  last,  the 
rtoffee  was  of  the  purest  Mocha,  the  Liebig  Company's 


CAPTAIN    NELSON 


Extract  was  of  the  ch<jicest,  and  the  packing  of  all  was 
excellent. 

I  need  not  enumerate  what  else  was  purchased.  Four 
expeditions  into  Africa,  with  my  old  lists  of  miscellanea 
l»"fore  me,  enabled  me  to  choose  the  various  articles, 
iiiid  in  Sir  Francis  de  Wintim  and  Captain  (irant  Elliott 
I     had    valuable     assistants    who    would     know     what 


40 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


magazines    to    patronize,    and    who    could    check    the 
deliveries. 

Colonel  Sir  Francis  de  Winton  was  my  successor  on 
the  Congo,  and  he  gave  me  gratuitously  and  out  of 
pure  friendship  the  benefit  of  his  great  experience,  and 
his  masterly  knowledge  of  business  to  assist  me  in  the 


LIEUTENANT    STAIKS. 


despatch  of  the  various  businesses  connected  with  the 
expedition,  especially  in  answering  letters,  and  selecting 
out  of  the  hundreds  of  eager  applicants  for  memV)ership 
a  few  officers  to  form  a  staff. 

The  first  selected  was  Lieutenant  W.  Grant  Stairs,  of 
the  Royal  Engineers,  who  had  applied  by  letter.  The 
concise  style  and  directness  <jf  the  application  appealed 


SELECTION   OE  MY   OEEK'EIiS. 


41 


strongly  in  liif^  favour.  We  sent  for  him,  jukI  after  a 
short  interview  enlisted  him  on  condition  that  he  could 
olttain  leave  of  al)sence.  Lord  Wolseley  kindly  granted 
leave. 

The  next  was  Mr.  William  Bonny,  who,  having  failed 
iu  his  epistolary  ventures  on  former  expeditions,  thought 


MK.    WILLIAM    BONNY. 


the  best  w^ay  was  to  present  himself  in  person  for 
service  in  any  capacity.  The  gentleman  would  not 
take  a  mild  negative.  His  breast  was  covered  with 
medals.  They  spoke  eloquently,  though  dumb,  for  his 
merits.  The  end  of  it  was  ]\Ir.  Bonny  was  engaged  as 
medical  assistant,  he  having  just  left  service  in  a 
hospital  of  the  A.M.D. 


ame 


42 


IN   DAIlKKSr  AFRICA. 


The  third  was  Mr.  John  Rose  Troup,  wlio  had  per- 
formed good  service  on  the  Congo.  He  was  intimate 
with  Swahili,  the  vernacular  of  Zanzibar.  He  was  not 
dainty  at  work,  was  exact  and  methodical  in  preserving 
accounts.     Mr.  Troup  w*.^  engaged. 

The   fourth    volunteer   who   presented    himself    was 


MR.    A.    J     MOINTENEY  JEPHSON. 

Major  Edmund  Musgrave  Barttelot,  of  the  7th  Fusileers. 
He  was  accompanied  by  an  ac<|uaintance  of  mine  who 
spoke  highly  of  him.  What  passed  at  the  interview  will 
be  heard  later  on.  After  a  few  remtirks  he  was  also 
engaged. 

I'he  fifth  was   CViptain  R.   H.  Nelson,  of  Methuen's 
Horse,  fairly  distinguished  in  Zulu  campaigns.      There 


A    IWYAL    LETTEIL 


43 


was  merit  in  his  very  face.     Captiiin  Nelson  agreed  to 
Biffn  tlie  articles  of  enlistment. 

Our  next  volunteer  was  Mr.  A.  J.  ]VIounteney  Jephson, 
inexperienced  as  yet  in  foreign  travel,  jind  <|uite  un- 
accustomed to  "roughing"  in  wilds.  On  some  menihers 
of  the  Committee  Mr.  Jephson  made  the  impression 
that  he  was  unfitted  for  an  expedition  of  this  kind, 
being  in  their  opinion  of  too  "high  class."  But  the 
Oountess  de  Noailles  made  a  suhstn-iption  in  his  favour 
to  the  Relief  Fund  of  £1,000,  an  argument  that  tlie 
Committee  could  not  resist,  and  Mr.  Jephson  signed  the 
articles  of  agreement  with  unshaken  nerves.  Poor 
young  Jephson  I  he  emerged  out  of  Africa  after  various 
severe  trials  which  are  herein  related. 

One  of  the  latest  to  apply,  and  when  the  list  was 
al»out  to  be  closed,  was  Mr.  James  S.  Jameson,  lie 
had  travelled  in  Mashona  and  Mata])ele  lands  in  Soutli 
Africa  to  collect  trophies  of  the  wild  chase,  to  study 
birds,  and  to  make  sketches.  He  did  not  appear  re- 
markably strong.  We  urged  that,  but  he  as  cpuckly 
defended  his  slight  appearance,  and  argued  tha^  as  he 
had  already  spent  a  long  time  in  Africa  his  experience 
disproved  our  fears.  Besides,  he  was  willing  to  sub- 
s(i'il)e  £l  .000  for  the  privilege  of  mem))ership,  and  do 
faithful  and  loyal  service,  as  though  it  was  indispensable 
for  the  Expediticni  to  employ  him.  JNIr.  Jameson  was 
firm,  and  sul)scribed  to  tlie  articles. 

We  were  in  the  full  swing  of  preparations  to  meet 
the  necessities  of  the  overland  march    from    Zanzibar 
east  to  the  Victoria  Nyanza,  when,  as  will  V)e  show!i  hy 
the  tenor  of  the  following  letter,  it  became   necessary 
to  reconsider  our  route. 

"  Palais  de  Brnxclles, 
"^EAR  Mu.  Stanley,  "  7tli  January,  1887. 

"  The  Congo  State  has  notliiiif^  to  pain  by  the  Expedition  for  the 
reliv  of  Eniin  Pasha  passinpj  through  its  territory.  Tlie  K\\\\i  h.as 
snpjiested  this  road  merely  so  as  to  lend  your  services  to  tlie  Exjiedition, 
which  it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to  do  were  the  Expedition  to 
jiroceed  oy  the  Eastern  coast.  According  to  your  own  estimate,  the 
Expedition  proceeding  by  the  Eastern  coast  would  occiijjy  about  eighteen 
months.  Hi?.  Majesty  considers  that  he  would  be  failing  in  his  duty 
towards  the  State  were  he  to  deprive  it  of  your  services,  especially  as  the 
latter  will  be  certainly  netdtd  before  the  expiration  of  this  lapse  of  time. 


44 


7.V   DAL'KIJST  A  Fit IV A. 


"  If  the  Expedition  proceeds  hy  tlie  Congo  tlie  State  will  promise  to 
show  it  ill!  f-'ood  will.  The  State  iik(^wise  fj;nitiiitously  i)liices  at  the 
disposal  of  tlie  Expedition  tlie  whole  of  its  naval  stock,  inasnnieh  as  will 
allow  the  working  arrangements  of  its  own  administration,  which  it  is, 
above  al.,  desirons  of  ensnring,  as  j-ou  know.  The  Staulr//  is  tlie  largest 
steamer  on  tlm  Tiiper  Congo.  We  are  forwarding  a  seccmd  one  by  the 
mail  of  the  15in  inst ,  and  we  will  hasten  as  much  as  possible  the 
launching  of  this  steamer  at  Stanley  Pool;  she  will  be  a  valuable  and 
much  needed  adjunct  to  our  flotilla.  In  the  meanwhile  the  mission 
steamer  I'care  would  no  doubt  gratuitously  effLict  certain  transports. 

"  >hould  the  Expedition  desire  it,  we  would  facilitate  the  recruiting  of 
Bangala;  we  are  very  |)leased  with  the  latter,  as  they  are  excellent 
soldiers,  and  do  not  fear  tlie  Arabs  like  the  Zanzibaris. 

"  You  will  have  remarked  that  the  official  documents,  pul)lished  this 
week  in  IJerlin,  limit  the  territory  of  Zau/d)ar  to  a  narrow  "strip  of  Ian  I 
along  the  seashore.  Beyond  this  strip  the  entire  territory  is  German. 
If  t  le  Oermans  allow  the  Expedition  to  cross  their  territory,  the  Zanzi- 
baris would  bo  precisely  as  on  the  Congo,  on  foreign  soil. 
"  With  kind  regards,  I  am,  dear  Mr.  Stanley, 

"  Yours  very  truly, 

"  COMTE   DE    BORCHGUAVE." 

Tliat  this  was  not  a  light  matter  to  Ite  hastily  decided 
will  be  evident  by  the  following  note  which  was  sent  me 
by  Sir  William  Mackinnon  : — 

"  Western  Club,  Glasgow, 
"  My  dear  Stanley,  "  '^«»w«'-2/  4^/^  1887. 

■■'  I  had  a  pleasant  phort  letter  from  the  King  showing  how  anxious 
he  is  the  Congo  route  .should  be  taken,  and  how  unwilling  to  allow  a 
break  in  the  continuity  of  your  connection  with  the  Congo  State,  a<  he 
considers  you  a  ])illar  of  the  State.  He  asks  me  to  banish  (?)  any  diver- 
gent sentiments,  and  get  all  pcarties  to  agree  to  the  Congo  route.  I  have 
explained  fully  all  that  has  been  done  and  is  doing,  and  the  difficulties 
in  the  way  of  cancelling  existing  engagements,  and  get  the  authorities, 
home  and  Egyptian  and  the  Sultan  of  Zanzibar,  to  acquit  see  in  making 
such  a  change  I  also  mentioned  the  great  additional  charge  involved 
by  sending  600  men,  even  if  the  Sultan  should  consent  to  their  going 
from  Zanzibar  to  the  Congo  and  bringing  them  back. 

"  I  promised,  however,  to  ascertain  whether  all  interested  in  the  present 
arrangements  would  agree  in  taking  the  Congo  route. 


In  my  diary  of  January  5tli  I  find  written  briefly 
the  heads  of  businesses  despatched  this  day. 

As  suggested  by  Mackinnon,  who  has  been  written 
to  by  King  Leopold  upon  the  subject  of  the  Congo 
route,  I  saw  Sir  Percy  Anderson,  and  revealed  the 
King's  desire  that  the  Expedition  should  proceed  via 
Congo.  I  was  requested  to  state  what  advantages  the 
Congo  route  gave,  and  replied  : — 


THE  KlNd  OF  THE  liELGIAXS  AXD  THE  CONGO  ItOl'TE.  45 

l.st.  Certainty  of  reju'liing  Eniiii. 

2ik1.  Transport  up  the  Congo  River  by  state  steamers 
to  a  point  320  geographical  miles  from  Lake  All)ert. 

3r(l.  Allaying  suspicion  of  Germans  that  underlying 
our  acts  were  political  motives. 

4th.  Allaying  alleged  fears  of  French  Ciovernment 
that  our  Expedition  would  endanger  the  lives  of  French 
Missionaries. 

5th.  If  French  Missionaries  were  endangered,  then 
English  Missionaries  would  certainly  share  their  fate. 

C)th.  Greater  immunity  from  the  desertion  of  the 
Zanzil)aris  who  were  fickle  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Arab  settlements. 


Lord  Iddesleigh  writes  me  that  the  French  ambassador 
has  been  instructed  to  inform  him  that  if  the  Eniin 
Pasha  Relief  Expedition  proceeds  by  a  route  east  of  the 
Victoria  Nyanza  it  will  certainly  endanger  the  lives  of 


Uganda. 


He 


suggests 


that   I 


of  Admiral  Sullivan 
Admiralty  suppl}'ing 
Congo.  He  said  if 
be   easy,    if    not,    ini- 


tlieir   Missionaries    in 
consider  this  question. 

Visited    Admiralty,    inquired 
respecting     the    possibility     of 
vessel    to   carry   Expedition    to 
(lovernment    ordered   it   would 
possible. 

Wrote  to  the  King  urging  him  to  acquaint  me  how 
i'dv  his  assistance  would  extend  in  transport  on  the 
Upper  Congo. 

January  Sth. — Received  letters  from  the  King.  He 
lays  claim  to  my  services.  Offers  to  lend  whole  of  his 
naval  stock  for  transport  except  such  as  may  ])e  necessary 
for  uses  of  administration.  Wired  to  Mackinnon  that 
I  felt  uneasy  at  the  clause ;  that  it  was  scarcely 
compatible  with  the  urgency  required.  Colonel  de 
Winton  wrote  to  the  same  effect. 

Effects  of  Expedition  are  arriving  by  many  cwts. 

De  Winton  worked  with  me  until  late  in  the 
nidit. 

January  dth,  1887. — Colonel  J.  A.  Grant,  Colonel  Sir 
F.   de  Winton,   and  myself  sat  down  to  consider  His 


43 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


Majesty's  letter,  and  finally  wrote  u  reply  re(|uestiii^  lie 
would  graeiously  respond  with  «j!;reater  definitencss 
respecting  «]nantity  of  transport  and  time  for  which 
transport  vessels  will  be  granted  us  so  many  matters 
depend  upon  (piick  reply,  such  as  hire  of  Soudanese, 
deter'tion  of  mail  steamer  iov  shipment  of  ammunition, 
etc.     We  therefore  send  special  messenger 

Jaiui'irj/  lOt/i,  1887 — De  Winton  visited  Foreign 
Office  and  was  promised  as  soon  as  possible  to  attend  to 
the  detention  of  mail  steamer  and  Government  transport 
rountl  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 

Messrs.  (h-ay,  Dawes  &  Go  write  Postmaster-(  General 
willing  to  detain  Zanzibar  mail  steamer  at  Aden  to 
wait  Ndvarlno,  which  sails  from  London  on  the 
20tli  with  the  ammunition  and  officers.  I  overtake 
Navarlno  at  Suez  after  settling  matters  of  Expedition 
in  Egypt. 

January  Vlth, — Answer  arrived  last  night.  Meeting 
was  called  by  Honourable  Guy  Dawnay,  Colonel  Sir 
Lewis  Pellv,  Colonel  Sir  F.  de  Wintxm  and  self  The 
answer  as  regards  Congo  route  Ijeing  satisfactory  was 
decided  upon,  and  this  has  now  been  adopted  unani- 
mously. 

Was  notified  at  2  p.m  by  the  Earl  of  Iddesleigh  that 
he  would  see  me  at  G  p.m.  But  at  3.13  p.m.  the  Eail 
died  suddenly  from  disease  of  the  heart. 

Januarn  I3t/f. — Foreign  office  note  received  from  Sir 
J.  Pauncefote  transmitting  telegram  from  Sir  E.  Baring, 
also  letters  concerning  Admiralty  transport.  No  help 
from  Admiralty. 

Cloods  arriving  fast.     Will  presently  fill  my  house. 

Went  down  with  Baroness  Burdett-Coutts  to  Guildhall, 
arriving  there  12.45  p.m.  I  received  Freedom  of  City 
of  London,  and  am  called  youngest  citizen.  Afterwards 
lunched  at  Mansion  House,  a  distinguished  party 
present,  and  affair  most  satisfactory. 

Telegraphed  to  Brussels  to  know  if  Friday  conveniei.t 
to  King.     Eeply,  "  Yes  at  9.30  a.m." 

Jauwiry  14M.-- -Crossed  over  Channel  last  night 
towards  Brussels  via  Ostend  to  see  King  Leopold.     Saw 


,Jt 


rnErAiiAToiiY  details  of  we  HELIEF  EXPEDITIOX.    47 


■^tiiiji;  lie 
uiteiu'ss 
•  which 
matters 
ulaneso, 
unition, 

Foreign 
tteud  to 
L'ansport 

General 
Vden  to 
on  the 
)vei'take 
peditioii 

Meetino; 
onel  8ir 
If  The 
loiy  was 
unani- 

igh  thfit 
the  Earl 

om  Sir 
Baring, 
,o  help 

ouse. 
ildhall, 
of  Citv 
erwards 
party 

veniei.t 

night 
Saw 


n 


King  and  gave  my  farewell.  He  was  very  kind.  Left 
for  London  in  evening  at  8  p.m. 

Telegram  arrived  from  Sandringham  re(|uesting 
visit. 

January  \bfh. — Sir  Percy  Anderson  rc( [nested  inter- 
view. 

Mr.  Joseph  Thomson  at  this  late  hour  has  heen 
writing  to  Geographical  Society  wanting  to  go  with 
Ex{)edition. 

Arraniied  with  Ingham  to  collect  Conij|;o  carriers.  He 
goes  out  hh(»T-tly. 

Telegraphed  Zanzibar  to  recall  rice  carriers  from 
Mpwapwa.     This  will  cost  2,500  rupees  more. 

Wrote  some  days  ago  to  the  donor  of  the  Peace 
Mission  Steamer  on  the  Gongo  recjuesting  '.<)an  of  her 
for  the  relief  of  Emin  Pasha.  Received  the  following 
quaint  reply : — 

"  Dear  Mr.  Stanley,  "  I'^^^'^«'  Jnnwtr>i  Voth,  1887. 

"  I  liave  much  regard  for  you  persoually,  althongli  I  caniKjt,  dare  not, 
sanction  all  your  acts. 

"  I  am  vory  Horry  if  I  cannot  give  as?cnt  to  your  request ;  but  I  fully 
believe  you  will  be  no  sufferer  by  the  circumstance  of  not  having  the 
s.s.  Peace.     Yesterday  I  was  able  to  come  to  a  decision. 

"Mr.  Baynes,  of  the  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  Holborn,  will,  lie 
hopes,  make  to  you  any  communication  he  judges  proper.  If  you  have 
any  reverential  regard  for  'the  Man  of  Sorrows,'  the  'King  of  Peace' 
nuiy  He  mercifully  preserve  and  save  your  party. 

"  I  have  no  doubt  of  the  safety  of  Eniin — till  his  work  is  done.  I 
believe  he  will  be  brought  througli  this  trial  in  ])erfect  safety.  God 
seems  to  have  given  you  a  noble  soul  (covers  for  the  moment,  if  on  jour 
sad  sin  and  mistakes),  and  I  should  like  you  should  '  repent  and  believe 
the  Gospel ' — with  real  sense,  and  live  henafter  in  happiness,  light,  and 
joy— for  ever.    Here  delay  in  you  is  more  dangerous  than  delay  for  Emin. 

"  Your  faithful  friend, 

"  (Signed)    RcBERT  Authington." 

January  16/A.— Colonel  J.  A.  Grant  offered  to  arrange 
with  Mr.  J.  S.  Keltie,  Editor  of  Nature,  to  discuss  Mr. 
Thomson's  offer. 

Letters  accumulate  by  scores.  All  hands  employed 
ansvverinfT. 

January  17th. — Wrote  Sir  Percy  Anderson  would  call 
Wednesday  2  p.m.     Correspondence  increases. 

Mr.   Joseph   Thomson's   offer  discussed.       Mv.    J.    S. 


0 
* 


I  l.'tmft^ftWMMi*  Mt'ftl  *1  -!*.' 


.  '^inmiiiii^tr^pnt-itin  nMfc'  ini-'l 


48 


7iV  l)AllKKl:iT  AFRICA. 


Keltie  is  to  write  to  him  privately — 
niittee. 

ArmiiQ-ed    witli    Cr.     S.     JMuckeiizie 


deuisiijii  of  com- 
a]>out 


Zanzibar 

matters.  He  despatched  two  telegrams.  (General 
Brat'keiihurv  wrote  al)out  coal  beiiiu'  furnished  re- 
quiring"  Treasury  sanction. 

Jaiiaaru  \St/i. — Worked  off  morning-'s  l»usiness. 

Travelled  to  Sandringham  with  Colonel  de  Winton  to 
see  His  Royal  Highness.  With  African  map  before  us 
gave  short  lecture  to  their  Royal  Highnesses  respecting 
route  proposed  to  reach  Emin  Pasha.  Had  a  verv 
attentive  audience. 

Jaiiuan/  Idt/i. — Sir  William  ]\Iackinnon  mustered  liii^ 
friends  at  the  Burlington  Hotel  at  a  farewell  ])an(juet  to 
me. 

Have  said  "  fjood-bve  "  to  a  host  of  friends  to-day. 

Janmu'i/  20f/i. — The  s.s.  Navariiio  sailed  this  afternoon 
carrying  goods  of  Expedition  and  officers.  Lieutenant 
Stairs,  Captain  Nelson,  and  Mr.  ]\Iounteney  Jephson. 
Mr.  AVilliam  Bonny  started  from  my  rooms  with  black 
boy  Baruti  to  Fenchurch  Station  at  8  a.m.  Arriving 
there  he  leaves  Baruti  after  a  while  and  proceeds  to 
Tower  of  London  !  He  savs  that  returnino;  to  station 
at  2  p.m.  he  found  boat  had  gone.  He  then  went  to 
Gray,  Dawes  &  Co.,  shipping  agents,  and  is  discouraged 
to  find  that  the  matter  cannot  be  mended.  Baruti 
found  deserted  in  Fenchurch  Station,  very  hungry  and 
cold.  Colonel  J.  A.  Grant  finds  him  and  brings  him 
^o  me. 

JaiLuavj/  2\st. — Despatch  Mr.  Bonny  by  rail  to  Ply- 
mouth to  overtake  a  steamer  bound  for  Lidia  and 
instruct  him  to  debark  at  Suez  with  bov  and  await  me. 

Left  London  at  8.5  p.r.  .  for  Egypt.  Quite  a  crowd 
collected  to  t?ike  a  final  shake  of  the  hands  and  to  Itid 
me  a  kindly  "God  speed." 


CHAPTER  11. 


EGYPT    AND    ZANZIBAR. 


Surpoon  T.  11.  Parko — Yimvs  oi"  Sir  Evelyn  Barinp,  Xubav  Paslia,  Pro- 
ti'SHor  Schweinfurtli  and  Dr.  Junker  on  the  Kiiiin  belief  Ex])e{liti()n 
— Details  relating  to  Eniin  Pa.slia  and  his  Province— General  Grent'ell 
and  the  aninmnition— Dreakfast  with  Khedive  Tewtik :  message  to 
luiiin  Pasha  —  Dejjarture  for  Zanzibar  —  Deseription  of  Mombasa 
town — Visit  to  the  Hullan  of  Zanzibar — Letter  to  Emin  Pasha  sent 
by  messenger  through  Uganda— Arrangements  with  Tijipoo  Til) — 
Emin  Paslia's  Ivory — Mr.  Mackenzie,  Sir  John  Pender  and  Sir  James 
Ander.son's  assistance  to  the  lielief  Expedition. 

January  27tli,  1887. — Arrived  at  Alexandria  (>  a.m. 
Suroeoii  T.  H.  Parke  of  the  A.M.D.  came  to  mv  hotel 
and  applied  for  the  position  of  surgeon  to  tlie  Ex])e- 
dition.  It  was  the  one  vacanev  not  vet  filled  to  niv 
satisfaction.  I  considered  it  a  (lod.send,  though  1 
appeared  distant,  as  1  had  had  two  most  unplea.sant 
experiences  with  medical  men,  both  of  whom  were 
crotchetty,  and  inconsistent  in  England.  An  extremely 
handsome  vouno;  iientleman  —  diiiident  s(mie\vhat  l)ut 
veiy  prepossessing.  To  try  if  he  were  in  earnest  I  said. 
"If  vou  care  to  follow  me  to  Cairo,  T  will  talk  further 
with  you.      I  have  not  the  time  to  argue  with  you  here." 

Left  Alexandria  at  !0  a.m.  for  Cairo.  At  the  station 
I  met  Sir  Evelyn  I^aring,  whom  I  had  read  of  in  Cordon's 
iournals.  We  drove  to  Sir  Evelvn's  house  and  was 
told  in  his  strai<>litforward  and  clearest  mannei"  that 
there  was  a  hitch  somewhere.  The  Khedive  and  Nuhar 
Pasha,  the  Prime  Minister,  were  doid)tfuI  as  to  the 
wisdom  of  the  Conuo  route.  Professor  Schwcnnfurth 
and  Dr.  -lunker  hadhoth  been  struck  with  consternation, 
and  l)y  their  manner  had  expressed  that  the  idea  was 
absurd. 

VOL.    I.  E 


1«87. 
Jan.  "-'7 

Alexan 
(Iriii. 


50 


I^  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


1887 
Jan.  27 

Cairo. 


tl  Jl^i  f  "w  ten  in  E  ;  ''*i  ^™,."'"  «""l<  *'">* 
funli  and  Junker  On  tl,e  if  ^ef  T  '^T"'  ^^''"■^"'- 
Colonel  James  Au^mstus  Gr.,  f  *^"™'"'t'*«  we  liave 
Colonel    Sir    Frand"    de    WntoTTr"T!  '-^ '^'P'^'^''- 


SflWEO.V   I'AUKIC,   A.M.D, 


Political     Aceiit     .,f     7,     -1 

IWnay  ..f  the  vi  (.ffi  «"■ '^  ,  V"  ,  """""''"I'l-'  <iuv 
fienerai  at  ^.^^'l^'\^:f']^'^~^<^^^'-'^^^- 
■several    otluT    .listin,  nl.      i         ,        ™''''    ^^•'"'■i'   .md 

assent    of  tl.c    F.,reiKn     Jffi !.      V''"  /•"■'™n'«"'o  .^nd 

oil    uni,,c.      We     i,ave    eonwidered 


,«.77?  EVELYN  BARING  S   VJEU'S  ON  THE  EXPEDITION      51 


1887, 


Cairo, 


evervtliing,  and   1   have  come  thus  far  resolved  to  carry 

the  project  out  as  the  committee  and  myself  have  agreed."    "^""'  '^^* 

And  then  I  gave  Sir  Evelyn  the  pros  and  c<)ns  of  the 
routes,  which  satisfied  him.  We  then  drove  to  the 
Prime  Minister,  Nubar  Pasha,  and  tli«  same  explanations 
had  to  be  entered  into  with  him.     Nubar,  with  a  kindly 


NfUAU    lASUA. 


benevolent  smile,  deferi'ed  to  Sir  Evelyn's  superior 
judgment.  Nubar  assented  to  the  wisdom  and  discretion 
of  the  change,  and  as  a  reward  I  was  invited  to  break- 
fast for  the  morrow. 

January    2Sf/i.    (^airo. — T    ])reakfasted     with    Nubar 
Pasha.     He  introducted  me  to  Mason    iVv — the  circum- 


1887. 
Jnu.  28. 

Cairo. 


i\,: 

■1      .fir        1 

■1              i' 

52 


navigator 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


of   Lake   Albert   in 


1877,  Madame  Nubar 
and  three  daughters,  Tigrane  Pasha,  his  son-in-hiw, 
Mr.  Fane,  formerly  Secretary  of  Legation  at  Brussels. 
During  l>reakfaRt  Nubar  Pasha  conversed  upon  many 
things,  principally  Egypt,  Soudan,  Afri(;a  and  Gordon, 
Of  Gordon  he  is  clearly  no  admirer.  He  accredits  the 
loss  of  the  Soudan  to  him.  His  views  of  Baker  were  that 
he  was  a  fighter — an  eager  pioneer — a  man  of  great 
power. 

Showed  map  to  Nubar  after  breakfast.  He  examined 
the  various  routes  carefully,  and'  was  convinced  the 
Congo  route  was  the  best.  He  proposes  to  write 
instructions  to  Emin  to  return  to  Egypt  on  the  ground 
that  Egypt  cannot  afford  to  retain  the  Soudan  under 
present  circumstances.  He  permits  us  the  use  of  the 
Egyptian  Flag  as  the  banner  of  the  Expedition.  He 
says  he  would  like  to  see  Emin  return  with  as  much 
ivory  as  possible  and  bringing  his  Makrakas  with  him. 
Should  any  ivory  be  brought  out  he  will  lay  claim  to 
«ome  of  tiie  money  on  behalf  of  the  Egyptian  Govern- 
ment— because  of  the  £  10,000  furnished  by  it.  Uniforms 
are  being  ordered  for  Emin  Pasha  and  principal  officers, 
for  which  the  Relief  Fund  will  have  to  pay.  Rank  and 
pay  due  to  each  officer  assured. 

I  saw  Schwemfurth  and  Junker,  who  have  been  con- 
sidered experts  here,  and  I  have  had  a  long  and 
interesting  conversation,  the  pith  of  which  I  here 
embody. 

Schweinfurth  and  Junker,  it  seems,  had  formed  the 
curious  idea  that  because  the  Expedition  was  to  be 
armed  with  several  hundred  Remingtons  and  a  machine 
gun  of  the  latest  invention,  it  was  to  be  an  offensive 
force  conducted  after  strict  military  rules. 

If  thev  had  reflected  jit  all  the  verv  title  of  the 
Expedition  ought  to  have  warned  them  that  they  w-ere 
astray  ;  the  (diaracter  of  the  people  who  subscribed  the 
major  portion  of  the  fund  ought  to  have  still  more 
assured  them  that  their  conception  of  the  Expedition 
was  wide  of  the  mark.  It  is  the  relief  of  Emin  Pasha 
that   is    the   object  of  the    Expedition,  the  said  relief 


rn^m 

^H         ^ 

^9 

■3m 

•^j^^^^^i 

CONVEBSATION   WITH  DE.   JUNKER. 


fon.sisting  of  ammunition  in  .sufficient  (quantity  to 
enable  him  to  withdraw  from  liis  dangerous  position  in 
Central  Africa  in  safety,  or  to  hold  his  own  if  he  decides 
to  do  so  for  such  length  of  time  as  he  may  see  fit. 
Considering  the  quality  of  the  escort,  being  mainly 
Zanzibaris  or  freed  slaves,  it  would  l)e  rash  to  expect  too 
much  frcmi  them.  It  is  already  known  in  Zanzi])ar  that 
Uganda  is  hostile,  that  Mwanga  massacred  some  sixty  of 
the  followers  of  Bishop  Hannington,  that  the  Masai 
route  has  its  dangers,  that  Karagwe  is  tri])utary  to 
Mwanga,  that  the  Wahha  are  numerous  and  aggressive, 
that  Ruanda  has  never  yet  been  penetrated,  that 
bevond  a  certain  line  whether  on  the  Masai  route  or  the 
Karagwe'  route  there  is  certain  danger ;  and  no  matter 
with  what  cheerfulness  they  would  assert  at  Zanzibar 
their  readiness  to  defy  all  and  every  belligerent, 
African  travellers  remember  how  weak  they  are 
proved  to  be  when  in  actual  presence  of  danger. 
Assuming,  however,  that  this  band  of  600  Zanzibaris 
were  faithful,  consider  their  inexperience  of  these  new 
rilies,  their  wild,  aimless,  harmless  firing,  their  want  of 
discipline  and  tone,  their  disposition  to  be  horrified  at 
sight  of  the  effects  of  fighting — remem])er  that  in 
reality  they  are  only  porters  and  do  not  pretend  to  be 
warriors — and  you  will  see  how  very  unequal  such  men 
are  to  the  duties  of  defending  munitions  of  war  in  the 
face  of  an  enemy.  It  was  only  by  stratagem  that  I 
se(;ured  their  services  for  the  desperate  work  of  dis- 
covering the  issue  of  the  great  river  along  which  we 
had  travelled  with  Tippu-Tib,  when  that  now  famous 
Arab  deserted  me  in  mid-Africa.  It  was  oidy  that 
there  were  no  other  means  of  escape  that  enaV)led  me 
with  their  help  to  obtain  a  quiet  retreat  from  savage 
Ituru.  In  many  other  instances  they  proved  that  when 
menaced  with  instant  death  they  could  ])e  utilized  to 
assist  in  the  preservation  of  their  own  lives  ;  but  to 
expect  them  to  march  faithfully  forward  to  court  the 
dangers  of  fighting  with  the  seductions  of  Unyamwezi 
and  Zanzibar  in  their  rear  would  be  too  much.  In  this 
Expedition  we  cannot  turn  aside  as  formerly  in  presence 


1887. 
Jan.  2^. 

Cairo. 


*' 


54 


IN  DARKEST  AFItlCA. 


1887. 
Jan.  28. 

Cairo. 


of  H  pronounced  liostility  und  .seek  more  peaceful 
countries  ;  but  our  ol)jective  point  must  be  reached,  and 
risk  must  be  run,  and  the  ammunition  must  be  de- 
posited at  the  feet  of  Emin  Pasha.  Therefore  to  arm 
these  people  with  Remingtons  or  mac-hine  guns  is  not 
enough — you  must  cut  off  their  means  of  retreat,  allow 
no  avenue  of  escape — then  they  will  stand  together  like 
men,  and  we  may  expect  the  obje(^t  ot  the  Expedition  to 
be  attained,  even  if  we  have  now  and  again  to  meet 
bows  and  spears  or  guns. 

KeiTcardino'  Emin  Pasha  m\'  information  is  various. 

From  Dr.  Junker  I  learn  that  Emin  Pasha  is  tall,* 
rhin  and  ex(;eedinolv  short-si";hted  ;  that  he  is  a  great 
linguist,  Turkish,  Arabic,  (German,  French,  Italian  and 
English  being  familiar  to  him  ;  to  these  languages  may 
be  a(hled  a  few  of  the  African  dialects.  He  does  not 
seem  to  have  impressed  Junker  with  his  fighting 
([ualities,  though  as  an  administrator,  he  is  sagacious, 
tactful  and  prudent.  His  long  isolation  seems  to  have 
discouraged  him.  He  snys,  "  Egypt  does  not  care  for  us 
and  has  forgotten  us  ;  Europe  takes  no  interest  in  what 
we  do."  He  is  German  l)y  birth,  and  is  a])out  fcjrty- 
seven  years  old. 

His  force  is  distributed  among  eight  stations,  fr<mi 
200  to  :]00  men  in  each,  say  about  1^800  in  all.  The 
garrisons  of  the  four  northernmost  staticns  were 
discontented  and  mutinous  at  last  accounts.  They 
answered  Emins  advice  to  consolidiite  with  reproaches  ; 
his  suggestions  that  they  should  all  withdraw  from  the 
e<|uatorial  pl■o^■illce  rin  Zanzibar,  were  I'esponded  to  ]»y 
accusations  that  he  intended  only  to  sell  them  to 
Zanzi))ar  as  slaves. 

Junker  cannot  give  an  exact  figure  of  the  force  itself, 
oj'  of  the  Egyptians  or  clerks  or  Dongolese  with  Emin, 
but  being  (piestioned  (dosely  as  to  details  replied  that 
the  approximate  number  of  those  likely  to  return  with 
the  Expedition  would  l)e  as  follows  :  — 

White      Egyptian     Officers,     10  ;     non-commissioned 

•  W(!  consoiiuciitly  luulo  the  tailor  inako  long  luiutalooiis,  ami  they 
wore  (luite  .six  inches  too  lonjj. 


i 


J 


f 
\ 

c 

t 

r 


INFOUMATION   ItKGAIiDlNG   EMIN  PASI/A. 


55 


(black),  15;  white  clerks  (Copts),  20;  blacks  from 
Dongola,  Wady  Haifa,  etc.,  300,  =  men  345.  White- 
women,  22;  blackwomen,  137;  =  women  159,  children 
of  officers,  40;  soldiers'  children,  60  =  children  100.= 
Total  604. 

Besides   these   the    native    troops   on    perceivmg    a 


1887. 
Jan.  28. 

Cairo. 


THK    KHEDIVE   TEWKIK 


general  withdrawal,  may  also  desire  to  I'cturii  with  their 
friends  and  comrades  to  Egypt.  It  is  impossible  to  state 
what  may  be  the  effect  on  their  minds  of  the  appearance 
of  the  Relief  Expedition.  The  decision  of  Emin  Pasha, 
to  remain  ov  withdraw,  will  probaljly  influence  the 
majority. 


56 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


1887. 
Jan.  -28. 

Cairo. 


ill   ■  'I 


some 
(Toveriimeiit  liaci  ■■\nv^ 
Eeplied  tlint  such  '  > 

Fehi'uari/  \st. — b     , 
Accompanied  him  to 


I  expect  my  men  frcmi  Wady  Haifa  to  l)e  here  tliis 
afternoon.  They  will  he  armed.  e<[uipped  and  rationed 
at  the  Citadel,  and  on  Thnrsday  will  acctmipany  me  to 
Suez.  The  Ndvurino  is  supposed  to  arrive  at  Suez  the 
day  following,  when  we  will  emhiirk  and  be  off. 

Received  telegrams  from  London.  Reports  from  a 
Avell-known  person  at  C^airo  has  reached  newspaper'-^ 
that  Emin  Pasha  had  fought  his  way  through  Uganda 
after  some  desp  ''ate  "^  iigj^les,  and  that  the  Egyptian 

v    difficulty  in  wa}'  of  Expedition. 

ivQ  unknown  in  CViro. 
Sn-  r.velyn  Baring  at  10.45  a.m. 
Kheciiv.3  Tewfik.  His  Highness 
is  most  amiable  and  good-looking.  Fine  palace  within, 
abundance  of  room,  a  host  ol  attendants,  &c.  Am 
invited  to  breakfast  with  Jvhedive  at  noon  to-morrow. 

Taken  later  by  Sir  Evelyn  to  General  Grenfell's  office 
respecting  suggestion  made  to  me  last  night,  at 
General  Stephenson's  by  Valentine  Baker  Pasha,  that  I 
must  assure  myself  that  the  Remington  ammunition 
furnished  ))y  Egyptian  Government  was  sound,  as  his 
experience  of  it  was  that  50  per  cent,  was  bad.  "  You 
must  think  then,"  said  he,  "  if  the  ammunition  is  so 
poor  already  what  it  will  l)e  about  a  year  hence  when 
you  meet  Emin,  after  humidity  of  tropics." 

General  Grenfell  said  he  had  already  tested  the 
ammunition,  and  would  make  another  trial,  since 
Valentiiie  Baker  Pasha  entertained  such  an  opinion  of  it. 

Fehraary  2nd. — Breakfast  with  Khedive  Tewffik.  He 
protests  his  patriotism,  and  loves  his  country.  He  is 
certainlv  most  unaffected  and  trenial. 

Before  leaving  Khedive,  the  following  Firman  or 
High  Order,  was  given  to  me  open  with  the  English 
translation. 

Translation. 

Copji  of  a  Hi(]h  Arabic  OrdiT  to  Emin  Pasha,  dated 
St/i,  G-amad  Aical  1304,  (Ut  Fehruan/,  1887.      No.  3). 

"  AVe  have  already  thanked  you  and  your  officers  for 
the    plucky    and   su(;cessful    defence    of    the    Egyptian 


LETTER   FliOM   THE  KHEDIVE   TO   EMIN  PASHA.       57 


Equatorial  provinces  entrusted  to  your  charge,  and  t'oi- 
the  firmness  you  have  shown  witli  your  fellow-ofiicers 
under  your  command. 

And  we  therefore  have  rewarded  vou  in  raisini"'  vour 
rank  to  that  of  Lewa  Pasha  (Brigadier-!  ieneral).  We 
have  also  approved  the  ranks  you  thought  necessary  to 
oive  to  the  officers  under  vour  (charge.  As  I  have  alreadv 
written  to  you  on  the  29  November,  1886,  No.  31,  and 
it  must  have  reached  you  with  other  documents  sent  by 
His  Excellency  Nubar  Pasha,  President  of  the  Council  of 
Ministers. 

And,  since  it  is  our  sincerest  desire  to  relieve  '  .u  with 
your  officers  and  soldiers  from  the  difficult  position  you 
are  in,  our  Government  have  made  up  their  mir^d  in 
the  manner  by  which  you  may  be  relieved  with  officers 
and  soldiers  from  vour  troubles. 

And  as  a  mission  for  the  relief  has  been  f(^  -med  under 
the  command  of  Mr.  Stanley,  the  famous  and  .vperienced 
African  Explorer,  whose  reputation  is  well  known 
throughout  the  world  ;  and  as  he  intends  to  set  out  on 
his  Expedition  with  all  the  necessary  provisions  for  you 
so  that  he  may  jjring  you  here  with  officers  and  men  to 
Cairo,  by  the  route  which  Mr.  Stanley  may  think  proper 
to  take.  Consequently  we  have  issued  this  High  Order 
to  you,  and  it  is  sent  to  you  by  the  hand  of  Mr.  Stanley 
to  let  you  know  what  has  been  done,  and  as  soon  as  it 
will  reach  vou,  I  cliaro;e  you  to  convev  mv  })est  wishes 
to  the  officers  and  men — and  you  are  at  full  liberty  with 
regard  to  your  leaving  for  Cairo  or  your  stay  tliere  with 
officers  and  men. 

Cur  Government  has  given  a  decision  for  paying  }'our 
salaries  with  that  of  the  officers  and  men. 

Those  who  wish  to  stav  there  from  the  officters  and 
men  they  may  do  it  on  their  own  responsiljility,  and 
they  may  not  expect  any  assistance  fr<mi  the  (iovern- 
ment. 

Try  to  understand  the  contents  well,  and  make  it 
well-known  to  all  the  officers  and  men,  that  they  may 
be  aware  of  what  they  are  going  to  do. 

(Signed)     ^Iehemet  Tkwfik." 


1887. 
Kcli.  2. 

Cairo. 


/ 

^ 


.i; 


,^ 


58 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


Irt87. 
V,^}.  2. 

Cairo, 


Tn  the  eveiiino;  Tigmne  Puslui  brought  to  me  Nuhar 
Pasliu's — the  Prime  Minister — letter  of  recall  to  Emin. 
It  was  read  to  me  and  then  sealed. 

We  stand  thus,  then  ;  rFunker  does  not  think  Emin  will 
aitandon  the  Province;  the  English  subscribers  to  the 
fund  ho})e  he  will  not,  but  express  nothing  ;  they  leave 
it  to  Emin  to  decide  ;  the  English  Government  would 
prefei'  that  he  would  retire,  as  his  Province  under  present 
circumstances  is  almost  inaccessible,  and  certainly  he,  so 
far  removed,  is  a  cause  of  anxiety.  The  Khedive  sends 
the  above  order  for  Emin  to  accept  of  our  escort,  bu: 
savs,  "  You  mav  do  as  vou  please,  [f  vou  decline  our 
proffered  aid  you  are  not  to  expect  further  assistance 
from  the  Government."  Nubar  Pasha's  letter  conveys 
the  wishes  of  the  Egyptian  Government  which  are  in 
a(!Cordance  with  those  of  the  English  (Tovernment,  as 
expressed  by  Sir  Evelyn  Baring. 

Fehruar;/  ^r<I. — Left  C-airo  for  Suez.  At  the  station 
to  wish  me  success  were  Sir  Evelyn  and  Lady  Baring, 
Generals  Stephenson,  Grenfell,  Valentine  Baker,  Ab})ate 
Pasha,  Professor  Schweinfurth  and  Dr.  Junker.  The 
Litter  and  sixty-one  soldiers  (Souchmese)  from  Wady 
Haifa  a(M^ompanied  me.  At  Zagazig,  Surgeon  T.  H. 
Parke,  now  an  enrolled  meml)er  of  the  Expedition,  joined 
me.  At  Ismailia  our  party  were  increased  ])y  Giegler 
Pasha.  At  Suez  met  Mr.  James  S.  Jameson,  the 
naturalist  of  the  Expedition.  ^Ir.  Bonny  of  the  Hospital 
Staff  Corps,  and  Pai'uti,  will  arrive  to-morrow  per 
Gdwnnc  of  the  Orient  line. 

Fchniar;/  Gf/i. — Breakfasted  with  Captain  Beyts,  Agent 
of  the  British  Lulia  Steam  Navigation  Company.  At 
2  P..\i.  Capt.  Beyts  enil)arked  with  us  on  })(ydvd  Bob  Ix'oi/, 
a  new  steamer  just  built  for  him,  and  we  steamed  out  to 
the  Suez  harbour  where  the  Xdrariiio  from  London  is  at 
anchor.  At  5  p.m.,  after  friendly  wishes  from  C^aptain 
Bevts  and  mv  2'ood  friend  Dr.  Junker,  to  whom  I  had 
become  OTeath'  attached  for  the  real  worth  in  him,  the 
Xarnrliio  sailed  for  Aden. 

Febriiani  St/i.  -Weather  grows  warm.  Ther.  Fah.  74'^ 
at    8  A.M.   in  Captain's  cabin.       My  European  servant 


Aliim'Al    AT  MOMliAHA. 


59 


asked  me  if  this  was  the  Red  Sea  through  whidi  we  were 
sailing.  "  Yes,"  I  re})lied.  "  Well,  sir,  it  looks  more 
like  a  black  sea  than  a  red  one, '  was  his  2)ro found  re- 
mark. 

Felnuan/  Vltls. — Reached  Aden  at  2  a.m.  We  now 
change  steamers.  Navaruu)  proceeds  to  l^onibay.  The 
11I.8.N.  steamer  Orlottal  takes  us  to  Zanzihai*.  On 
hoard  the  latter  stermer  we  met  Major  Rarttelot.  (  ahled 
to  Zanzi))ar  following  : — 

"  I\Iackenzie,  Zair/.il'ar 

"  Your  telegram  very  gratifying.  Pleas-e  oiigago  twenty  yonng  la  Is 
as  oflftcers'  servants  at  lower  rate  tliau  men.  We  leave  to-(lay  \vitli  eight 
Eniopeans,  sixty-one  .Soudanese,  two  Syrians,  thirteen  Somalis.  Pro- 
vision transport  steamer  aceordingly." 

Tlie  first-class  passengers  include  self,  Barttelot,  Stairs, 
.lephson.  Nelscm,  Parke,  l^onny,  (\)unt  Pfeil,  and  two 
German  c(mipanions  hound  for  llufiji  River. 

Fc/inKiri/  ]9f/i.—  Avviwd  otf  Lamu  at  '■)  p.m.  Soon 
after  s.s.  JJof/Iulad  came  in  with  Dr.  Lenz.  tlie  Austrian 
traveller,  who  had  started  to  proceed  to  Emin  lk\v,  hut 
failing,  came  across  to  Zanzibar  instead.  He  is  on  his 
way  Inmie.  Having  failed  in  his  purpose,  he  will  blame 
Africa  and  abuse  the  Congo  especially.  It  is  natural 
with  all  classes  to  shift  the  blame  on  others,  and  I  feci 
assured  Lenz  will  l)e  no  exception. 

Ffhrauri/  '10th. — Arrived  at  Mond)asa.  Was  told  that 
a  great  battle  had  been  fought  lately  between  the  (Jallas 
and  Sonialis.  The  former  are  for  the  (Germans,  the  latter 
are  declared  enemies  to  them.  We  also  hear  that 
Portuoal  has  declared  war  auainst  Zanzibar,  or  somethinu" 
like  it. 

Best  place  for  commercial  depot  is  on  right  hand  of 
northern  entrance,  first  point  within  harl)our;  it  is 
l>lufiy,  dips  sheer  (h)wn  into  deep  water,  with  timber 
floated  ahmo-  l)ase  of  ])luti'.  and  lono-armed  derricks  on 
edu'e  of  blutf,  steamers  mii»lit  be  unloaded  and  loaded 
with  ease.  Cocoa-nut  palms  abundant,  (iood  view  of 
sea  fnmi  it.  If  Mombasa  becomes  an  English  port  — 
as  I  hope  it  will  shortly — the  best  position  of  new 
town  would   be   alonu'    face  of   blutf   Irontino-   seaward 


1887. 
Feb.  V:. 

Allen. 


60 


y.V    1>  A  UK  EST  AFRICA. 


Fell.  '11. 
Zauzibnr 


(»n  islniid  just  wlicrc  old  I'ortii^uoso  port  is;  a  li^lit 
I'jiilwnv  and  sonic  diaui^lit  muk's  would  laud  on  train 
all  ^oods  from  liarhour. 

luhrudrji  'I'liid.  —  Arrived  at  Zanzihai'.  Actino'  (."ou- 
sul-(  Joneral  Ilolniwood  warndy  [)rotfcr('d  hospitality. 

Instructed  otHcers  to  proceed  on  hoard  our  transport, 
R I.S.N.  Co.  MiulunirdwA  to  take  change  of  Sonialis  and 
Soudanese,  and  Mackenzie  to  disend)ark  forty  (lonkeys 
and  saddles  from  Jfadura — route  l»ein<>'  cliauiied  there 
\vas  no  need  for  so  many  animals. 

Received  compliments  fi-om  the  Sultan  of  Zanzibar  ; 
visits  from  the  famous  'Pippu-Tih,  Jaffar,  son  of  Tarya 
To})an.  his  agent,  and  Kanji  the  Vakeel  of  Tarya. 

Zanzibar  is  somewhat  changed  during  my  eight  years' 
alisence.  There  is  a  telegraphic  ca))le,  a  tall  (dock-tower, 
a  new  Sultan's  palace,  very  h)fty  and  conspicuous,  with 
wide  verandahs.  The  Custxmi  House  has  been  enlarged. 
Oeneral  Lh)yd  Mathews  has  new  ])arracks  for  Ids  jNlili- 
tary  Police  ;  the  promenade  to  Fiddler's  grave  has  l)een 
expanded  into  a  broad  carriage-way,  which  extends  to 
Sultan's  house  bevond  Mbwenni.  There  are  horses  and 
carriages,  and  steam-rollers,  and  lamp-posts,  at  convenient 
distances,  serve  to  bear  oil-lamps  to  light  the  road  when 
His  Highness  returns  to  city  from  a  country  jaunt. 

There  are  six  (ilerman  war-vessels  in  port,  under 
Admira.1  Knorr,  If.  B. j\I.S.  Turquoise  and  Reindeer,  ten 
merchant  steamers,  and  a  few  score  of  Arab  dhows,  Bag- 
galas,  Kanjehs,  and  l)oats. 

Fehruavji  'IZvd. — Paid  what  is  called  a  State  visit  to 
His  Highness.  As  a  special  mark  of  honour  the  troops, 
under  stout  General  Lloyd  Mathews,  were  drawn  up  in 
two  lines,  about  300  vards  in  length.  A  tolerable  mili- 
tary  band  saluted  us  with  martial  strains,  while  several 
hundreds  of  the  population  w^ere  banked  behind  the 
soldiers.  The  most  frequent  words  I  heard  as  I  passed 
through  with  Consul  Holmwood  were  :  "  Ndio  huvu  " — 
"  Yes,  it  is  he  !"  by  which  I  gathered  that  scattered 
among  the  crowds  must  have  been  a  large  number  of  my 
old  followers,  pointing  me  out  to  their  friends. 

State  visits  are  nearlv  alwavs  alike.     The  "  Present 


VISIT   To    Tilt:  SCLTAX   OF  ZASZlliAIi. 


Gl 


iirms !"  l»y  (leiuM'al  Mathews,  tlic  martial  strains,  the 
laroc  o'l'oups  of  the  siiporior  Aral)s  at  the  hall  jxnch. 
the  ascent  up  the  lofty  tli«^hts  of  stairs—  the  Sultan  at 
the  head  of  the  stairs — tlie  orave  l)ow,  the  warm  elasp, 
tiie  sahitation  word,  the  courteous  wave  of  the  han«l  to 
eutei'.  tlie  slow  uiarch  towards  the  throne — another  cere- 
monious inclination  all  round— the  Prince  taking-  his 
seat,  which  intimates  we  may  follow  suit,  the  refiesh- 
ments  of  shei'het  after  coffee,  and  a  few  remarks  altout 
Kurope,  and  our  nuitual  healths.  Then  the  ceremonious 
de[)artui'e,  a^ain  the  strains  of  music.  Mathews'  sonorous 
voice  at  "  Present  arms  !"  and  W(^  retii'e  from  the 
scene  to  dott"  our  L()n(h)n  dress-suits,  and  pack  them  up 
with  cam})hoi'  to  preserve  them  from  moths,  until  we 
return  fnmi  years  of  travel  "  Throui>h  the  Dark  Con- 
tinent" and  from  "Darkest  Africa." 

In  tlip  afternoon,  paid   the  l)usiness   visit,   tii-st  pre- 
sentinii'  the  followinix  letter  :— 


1 SS7. 
I'eli.  •.',!. 

X.iiizili;ir, 


"  To  His  Highness  Seyyid  lUiidHASH  bin  Said, 
"  Saltan  of  Zanzibar. 

"  T?nrlinp;ton  Hotel, 

"  Old  Hnrlin^ton  Street,  I.ondon,  W. 

"  '28^/i  January,  1887. 

"  Your  Highness, 

'■  I  cannot  allow  another  mail  to  ))ass  witliont  writing;-  t(»  ex])ress 
to  yon  my  ^'ratefal  a))i)reciation  of  tlu!  kindly  res])onse  yon  madi^  to  my 
telegram  in  regard  to  assisting  tlio  Expedition,  which  proceeds  nnder 
tile  leadership  of  Mr.  H.  M.  Stanley  to  relieve  Emin  Pasha.  The  cor- 
diality with  which  yon  instrncted  yonr  officers  to  assist  in  selecting  the 
liest  men  available  is  indeed  a  most  im))ortant  service  to  the  Ex])edition, 
and  I  have  reason  to  know  that  it  has  given  great  satisfaction  in 
England.  Mr.  Stanley  will  reach  Zanzibar  In  abont  four  weeks.  He  is 
fnll  of  enthnsiasin  as  the  leader  of  his  interesting  Expedition,  and  his 
chief  reasons  for  selecting  the  ^.^ongo  ronte  are  that  he  maybe  able  to 
convey  the  nit  yonr  Highness  has  so  kindly  assisted  him  in  jirocnring 
witliont  fatigne  tr  risk  by  sea  to  the  Congo,  and  u])  the  river  in  boats  in 
com])arative  comfort,  and  they  will  arrive  within  850  miles  of  their 
destination  fresh  ,  'id  vigorous  instead  of  being  wor)i  ont  and  jaded  by 
the  fatigne  of  a  long  march  inland.  His  services  will  be  entirely  devoted 
to  the  Expedition  dnring  its  ))rogress,  and  he  cannot  deviate  from  its 
course  to  perform  service  for  the  Congo  State. 

"  It  is  ])robable  also  he  will  return  by  the  east  coast  land  ronte, 
and  as  T  know  him  to  bo  dec^ply  interested  in  your  Highness's  i)ros]K'rity 
and  welfare,  I  am  sure  if  ho  can  render  any  service  to  Y(Hir  Highness 
during  his  progress  back  to  the  coast,  he  will  do  so  most  heartily.  I 
have  had  many  conversations  with  him,  and  liave  always  found  hini 
most  friendly   to   Your  Highness's   interests,   and    I   lielieve  also   the 


II 


r:  4^ 


t:l 


1887. 
Vkh  2:5. 

Znn/ibnr. 


62 


IN  DARKEST  AfRICA. 


coiifidencc  of  onr  mntual  gof)  I  tVieiul.  I  iiray  you  in  these  ciivuin- 
stiuioes  to  ('omiuuiut'iit(!  freely  with  Mr.  Stanley  on  all  jioints  — as  freely 
as  if  I  liad  the  honour  of  being  there  to  receive  the  communications 
myself, 

■'  With  tlie  repeated  assurance  of  my  hearty  symjiathy  in  all  the  affairs 
tliat  concern  Your  Ilighness's  interests. 

"  T  remain, 
"  Your  very  obedient  servint  and  friend, 
"  W.  Mackixno.v.'" 


We  thcji  entered  heartily  into  our  ])usiiies,s  :  how  altso- 
iiitely  necessary  it  was  that  lie  should  promptly  enter 
into  an  aoreement  with  the  Enolish  within  the  limits 
assiii'iied  1)\'  Ani>l()-(iei'man  ti'eatv.  It  would  take  too 
long  to  deserihe  the  details  of  the  conversation,  but  I 
obtained  from  him  the  answer  needed. 

"  Please  ( Jod  we  shall  agree.     When  you  have  got  the  papers  ready  we 
shall  read  and  sign  without  further  delay  and  the  matter  will  be  over." 

At  night,  wrote  the  following  letter  to  Emiii  Pasha,, 
for  transmission  to-morrow  by  couriers  overhmd,  who 
will  travel  through  Uganda  into  Liiyoro  secretly. 


"To  His  Excellency  Emin  P.\sii.\, 

"  (Jovernor  of  the  Eriuatorial  Provinces. 

"  H.  B.  Majesty's  Consulate.  Zanzibar. 
"  Deau  Sin  "  J'^cbraari/  'i'drd,  1887. 

"  I  liave  the  honour  to  inform  you  that  the  Government  of  His  High- 
ness ihe  Khedive  of  Egypt,  upon  the  receipt  of  your  urgent  letters 
soliciting  aid  and  instructions,  have  seen  tit  to  depute  me  to  equip  an 
Exju'dition  to  ])roceed  to  Wudelai  to  convey  such  aid  as  they  think  you 
re(|uire,  and  to  assist  you  in  other  ways  agreeably  with  the  written 
instructions  which,  have  been  delivered  to  me  for  you. 

"  Having  been  i)retty  acciivately  informed  of  the  nature  of  your  neces- 
sities froTH  the  i)erusal  of  your  letters  to  the  Egyptian  (Jovernment,  the 
Expedition  has  been  eijuipped  in  such  a  manner  as  may  be  sui)posed  to 
meet  all  your  wants.  As  you  will  gather  from  the  letters  of  liis  Higli- 
ness  and  the  Prime  Ministfn-  of  Egy))t  to  you,  and  which  1  bring  with 
me,  all  that  could  possibly  l)e  doiu^  to  satisfy  your  needs  has  been  done 
most  heartily.  From  the  translation  of  the  letters  delivered  to  me,  I 
])crceive  that  they  will  give  you  immense  satisfaction.  Over  sixty 
soldiers  from  Wady  Haifa  have  been  detailed  to  accompany  me  in  order 
that  they  mav  be  able  to  encourage  tlu^  soldiers  undi'r  your  commind, 
and  contirin  the  letters.     We  also  march  under  the  Egy])tian  standaid. 

"  The  Exijcdition  includes  (JOO  Zan/.ibari  natives,  and  probably  as 
many  Aral)  followers  from  Central  Africa. 

"  We  sail  to-morrow  from  Zanzibar  to  the  (^ongo,  and  by  the  18tb  Juno 
next  we  hope  to  be  at  the  head  of  navigation  on  the  Uj)per  Congo. 
From  the  poiid  where  we  debark  to  the  southern  end  of  Lake  Albert  is  a 
distance  of  M2()  mil(  s  in  a  straight  line,  say  r)00  miles  by  roacl,  which  will 


LETTER    WRITTEN  BY  ME   TO    EM.'X  PAS  J  f A. 


63 


probably  occupy  iis  titty  days  to  luarcli  to  the  i?outli-\vcsteni  or  .southern 
C'lul,  in  ^he  neighbourhood  of  Kavalli. 

"  If  your  steamers  are  in  that  neighbourhood,  you  will  be  able  to  leave 
word  ]K?rliai)S  at  Kavalli,  or  in  its  neighbourhood,  inforining  nie  of  your 
vvherealiouts. 

"  Tlie  reasons  which  have  obliged  me  to  adopt  this  route  for  the  eon- 
veyanec  of  yotir  stores  are  various,  but  in'incipally  jjolitieal.  I  am  also 
im])rcssi'd  with  the  greater  security  of  that  route  and  the  greater 
certainty  of  success  attending  the  venture  witli  less  tronble  to  the 
Expedition  and  less  annoyance  1o  the  natives.  Mwanga  is  a  fonnidalilo 
op])on('nt  to  the  south  and  soulii  cast.  The  Wakedi  and  other  warlike 
natives  to  the  eastward  of  Fatiko  o])])ose  a  serious  obstacle,  the  natives 
of  Kisiiakka  and  liuanda  have  n(;ver  ])ermitte<l  strangers  to  enter  their 
country.  En  route  1  do  nor  antici]iate  mnch  trouliie,  because  there  arc! 
no  jiowerful  chiefs  in  the  Congo  liasin  capable  of  interrupting  onr 
inarch. 

"  Besides  abundance  of  ammunition  for  your  needs,  official  letters  from 
the  Egyjitian  Government,  a  lieavy  mail  from  your  numerous  friends  and 
admirers,  I  l)ring  with  me  ]iersonal  e(|uipments  for  jonrself  and  olticers 
suitable  to  the  rank  of  each. 

"  Trusting  that  1  shall  have  the  satisfaction  of  tinding  you  well  and 
pafc,  and  that  nothiiig  will  induce  you  to  rashly  venture  your  life  and 
liberty  in  the  neighbouiiiood  of  Ugiinda,  without  the  am))le  means  of 
causing  yourself  and  men  to  be  resjiected  which  I  am  bringing  to  you, 

"  I  beg  you  to  lielieve  me, 

"  Yours  very  faithfully, 

"  (^Signed)  JIknkv  ]\I.  Siam.ky." 


1887. 
Feb.  23. 

Zanzibar, 


Fchniary  2if/i  and  2i)f/i. — On  amviiio'  at  Zanziliar,  I 
t'ouiul  our  Aiieiit,  j\Ii'.  Edinuiul  Mackenzie,  liad  manaoed 
eveiytliiiio  so  well  that  the  Expedition  was  almost  ready 
for  embarkation.  The  steamer  Madui-d,  of  tlie  Britisli 
India  Steam  Navigation  Company,  was  in  harl)our.  2)ro- 
visioned  and  watered  for  the  voyaoe.  The  goods  for 
l>arter,  and  transport  animals,  were  on  hoard.  There  were 
a  few  things  to  l)e  done,  however — such  as  arranging  with 
the  famous  Tippu-Til)  ahont  our  line  of  conduct  towards 
one  another.  Tippu-Tih  isa  nnjch  greater  man  to-day  than 
he  was  in  the  year  1  877,  when  he  escorted  my  caiavan.pi-e 
hminary  to  our  descent  down  the  Congo.  1  le  has  invested 
liis  hard-earned  fortune  in  guns  ai;l  powder.  Adxcn 
rui'ous  Arabs  have  flocked  to  his  stan(hird.  until  he  is  now 
an  uncrowned  king  of  the  region  between  Stanley  Falls 
and  Tanganika  Lake,  commanding  man\'  thousands  of 
men  iniu'ed  to  fighting  and  wild  l'l(|uatoi'ial  life.  If  I  dis 
covered  hostile  intentions,  my  idea  was  to  give  him  a 
wide  ]»erth  ;  for  the  ammunition  I  had  to  convey  to 
Kniin  I'asha,  if  ca[»tured  an<l  em[>loy('d  by  him.  would  en- 


64 


IN  DAliKL'ST  AFRICA. 


1887. 
Feb.  24. 

Zauzibai'. 


(liiiioer  tlie  existence  of  the  infant  State  of  tlie  Con<?o,  and 
imperil  all  our  hopes.  Between  Tippu-Tipand  Mwanga, 
King  of  Uganda,  there  was  only  a  choice  of  the  frying- 
pan  and  the  fire.  Tippu-Til)  was  the  Zubehr  of  the 
Congo  13asin — ;iust  as  formidable  if  made  an  enemy,  as 
the  latter  would  have  been  at  the  head  of  his  slaves. 
Between  myself  and  (xordon  there  had  to  be  a  difierence 
in  dealing  with  our  respective  Zul)ehrs  ;  mine  had  no 
animus  against  me  personally  ;  my  hands  were  free,  and 
my  movements  unfettered.  Therefore,  with  due  caution, 
I  sounded  Tippu-Til)  on  the  first  day,  and  found  him 
fully  prepared  for  any  eventuality — to  fight  me,  or  be 
employed  by  me.  1  chose  the  latter,  and  we  proceeded 
to  business.  His  aid  was  not  re([uired  to  enable  me  to 
reach  Emin  Pasha,  or  to  show  the  road.  There  are  four 
good  roads  to  Wadelai  from  the  Congo  ;  one  of  them 
was  in  Tippu-Tib's  power,  the  remaining  three  are  clear 
of  him  and  his  myriads.  But  Dr.  Junker  informed  me 
that  Kmin  Pasha  possessed  about  75  tons  of  ivory. 
So  much  ivory  would  amount  to  £60,000,  at  8.v.  per  11). 
The  subscription  of  Kgypt  to  the  Emin  Pasha  Fund  is 
large  for  her  depressed  finance.  In  this  quantity  of 
ivory  we  had  a  possible  means  of  recouping  her  Treasury 
- — with  a  large  sum  left  towards  defraying  expenses,  and 
perhaps  leaving  a  handsome  present  for  the  Zanzibari 
survivors. 

\\  hy  not  attempt  the  carriage  of  this  ivory  to  the 
Congo  ?  Accordingly,  I  wished  to  engage  Tippu-Tiband 
his  people  to  assist  me  in  conveying  the  ammunition  to 
Emin  Pasha,  and  on  return  to  carry  this  ivory.  After  a 
o;o()d  deal  of  baroaininu'  1  entered  into  a  contract  with 
him,  b\  "vhich  he  agreed  to  sup})lv  000  carriers  at  £(> 
per  loaded  head— each  round  trip  from  Stanley  Falls  to 
Lake  Albert  and  back.  Thus,  if  each  carrier  carries 
70  lbs.  weight  of  ivory,  one  round  trip  will  bring  to  the 
Fund  fl;},200  nett  at  Stanley  Falls. 

On  the  conclusion  of  this  conti'act,  which  was  entered 
into  in  presence  of  the  liritish  Consul-Ceneral,  I 
l)i'oached  another  subject  in  the  name  of  His  Majesty 


King 


r 


Leopold  with  Tippu-Tib,     Stanh'v    Falls   station 


NEGOTIATIONS    WITH    TIPPV-TIB. 


65 


was  established  ])y  me  in  December  188:5.  Various 
Europeans  have  sin(;e  commanded  this  station,  and  Mr. 
13innie  and  Lieut.  Wester  of  the  Swedish  Army  liad 
succeeded  in  making  it  a  well-ordered  and  presentable 
station.  Captain  Deane,  his  successor,  (juarrelled  with 
the  Arabs,  and  at  his  forced  departure  from  the  scene 
set  lire  to  the  station.  The  object  for  wliich  the  station 
was  established  was  the  prevention  of  the  Arabs  from 
pursuing  their  devastating  career  l)elo\v  the  Falls,  not 
so  nnu;h  by  force  as  by  tact,  or  ratlier  tlie  ha[)py  com- 
bination of  both.  By  the  I'eti'eat  of  the  otHcei's  of  the 
State  from  Stanley  Falls,  the  floodgates  were  opened 
and  the  Aral)s  pressed  down  river.  Tippu-Tib  being  of 
course  the  guiding  spirit  (^f  the  Arabs  west  of  Tanganika 
Lake,  it  was  advisable  to  see  how  far  his  aid  might  l)e 
secured  to  check  this  stream  of  Aral)s  from  destroying 
the  ("'ountry.  After  the  interchange  of  messages  by 
cable  with  Brussels — on  the  second  day  of  my  stay  at 
Zanzibar — 1  signed  an  engagement  with  Tippu-Tib  l)y 
which  he  was  appointed  (Jovernor  of  Stanley  F.dls  at  a 
regular  salary,  paid  monthly  at  Zanzi)»ar,  into  the  British 
Consul-CJeneral's  hands.  His  duties  will  be  principally 
to  defend  Stanlev  Falls  in  the  name  of  the  State  against 
all  Arabs  and  natives.  Tlie  Hag  of  the  station  will  be 
that  of  the  State.  At  all  hazards  he  is  to  defeat  and 
capture  all  persons  raiding  territory  for  slaves,  and  to 
disperse  all  bodies  of  men  who  may  be  justly  suspected 
of  violent  designs.  He  is  to  abstain  from  ;dl  sla\e  traffic 
below  the  Falls  himself,  and  to  prevent  all  in  liis  com- 
mand trading  in  slaves.  In  order  to  ensure  a  faithful 
performance  of  his  engagement  with  the  State,  an  Euro- 
pean officer  is  to  be  a])pointe(l  Resident  a-t  the  Falls. 
On  the  breach  of  anv  article  in  the  contract  beiny; 
re])orted,  the  salary  is  to  cease. 

Meantime,  while  I  was  en«  iged  with  these  neo'otia- 
tions,  Mr.  Mackenzie  had  paid  four  months"  advance 
pay- iii; I  2.41  5 — to  G20  men  and  boys  cidistecl  in  the 
Uelief  Expedition,  and  as  fast  as  each  batch  of  lift}-  men 
was  satisfactorily  paid,  a  barge  was  hauled  alongsi<le  and 
the  men  were  duly  end »arked,  and  a  steam  launcii  towed 

VOL.  1.  y 


1887. 
Feb.  24. 

Zanzibar^ 


SS<r*.'  I 


m 


JN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


1887. 
Feb.  2.-. 

Zaiii;;ib.%r 


tli'^  ha: go,  to  tlic  transport.  By  5  p.m.  all  hands  were 
>*ic>()artl,  and  the  steamer  moved  off  to  a  more  distant 
anchorage.  By  midnight  Tippu-Til)  and  liis  people  and 
every  person  connected  with  the  Expedition  was  on 
l)oard,  and  at  dayl)reak  next  day,  the  25tli  Fel)ruary, 
the  anchor  was  lifted,  and  we  steamed  away  t(nvards  the 
C*ape  of  Ciood  Hope. 

So  far  there  had  not  been  a  hitch  in  any  arrangement. 
Dirticulties  had  been  smoothed  as  if  l)y  magic.  Every- 
Ixxly  had  shown  the  utmost  sympathy,  and  l:)een  prompt 
witli  the  assistance  re(|uired.  The  othcers  of  the  Expe- 
dition were  kept  fully  employed  frcmi  morning  to 
evening  at  laborious  tasks  connected  with  the  repacking 
of  the  ammunition  for  Emin  Pasha's  force. 

Before  conclu<ling  these  entries,  I  ought  to  mention 
the  lil)eral  assistance  rendered  to  the  Relief  Expedition 
by  Sir  John  Pender,   K.C.M.O.,  and  the  Eastern  Tele- 
graph (V)mpany.     All  my  telegrams  from  Egypt,  Aden 
and   Zanzibar,  amounting   in  the  ao-greoate  to  several 
Imndred  words  were  despatched  free,  and  as  each  word 
from  Zanzibar  to  Europe  ordinarily  costs  eight  shillings 
per  word,s(mie  idea  of  the  pecuniary  value  of  the  favour 
conferred  may  be  obtained,      (hi  my  return  from  Africa 
this  great  privilege  was  again  granted,  and  as  I  received 
a.    score  of  cableiiranis   jier  dav    f'/!    .-everal  davs,   and 
answers  were    expected,    J    should    s|'v;edilv   have  paid 
dearly  for  the  fortunate  rescue  of  Emin  Pasha,  and  most 
probably  my  stirring  career  had   ended  in   the    Bank- 
ruptcy ('ourt  had  not  Sir  John   Pender  and  Sir  James 
Anderson  (quickly   reassured   me.      Among    the   contri- 
butors to  the  Relief  Fund  to  a  verv  tienerous  amount 
1   therefore  may   fairly  place  the    names    of   Sir    John 
Pender  and  Sir  James  Anderson  in  behalf  of  the  Eastern 
Telegraph  Company.      I  shouhl  also  state  that  they  were 
prepared  to  lend  me  the  Telegraph  steamei'  at  Zanzibar 
t*>  convey  Miy  force  of  carriers  and  soldiers  to  the  (^)ngo 
had   there  ))een  anv  ditH>'ulty  in  the  way  of  «nL!;ai»in<'' 
the  B.  I.S.N.  Company's  8.s.  Madura. 


(     6< 


CHAPTER  m. 


BY   SEA   TO    THE   CONGO    Rn'ER. 

The  Sultan  of  Zanzioai— Tippu-Tib  and  Stanley  Falls- On  board 
s.s.  Madura  — "  Shindy  "  between  the  Zanzil)aris  and  Soudanese- 
Sketches  of  my  various  officers— Tii:>,u- Till  and  i.'ape  Town- 
Arrival  at  the  mouth  of  the  Congo  Kiver— Start  up  the  Congo- 
Visit  from  two  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Congo  State- 
Unpleasant  thoughts. 

The  followino-    private  letter  to  a  friend    will    explain 
some  thino's  of  o-eneral  interest : — 


^Iy  dear 


SS.  Madura,  March  9th.,  1887, 
Near  Cape  of  Good  Hoih). 


iss:. 

.MMi-ih  >.i. 

(iodll   H(i|ic, 


Apart  from  the  Press  letters  which  are  t()l)e  pultlished 
for  the  benefit  of  the  Relief  Fund,  and  whidi  will  contain 
all  that  the  pul,>lic  ought  to  kn(jw  just  now,  I  shall  have 
somewhat  to  say  to  you  and  other  friends. 

The  8ultan  of  Zanzi])ar  received  me  with  unusual 
kindness,  mucli  of  which  I  owe  to  the  introducticm  of 
Mr.  AVilliam  Mackinn(m  and  Sir  John  Kirk.  He  pre- 
sented me  with  a  fine  sword,  a  shirazi  hlade  I  should 
say,  richly  mounted  with  o()ld,  and  a  magnificent 
diamond  ring,  whicli  <|uite  makes  Tippu-Tih's  eyes 
water.  With  the  sword  is  the  golden  It  It  of  His 
Highness,  the  clasp  of  which  hears  his  name  in  Aral)ic. 
It  will  he  useful  as  a  sign,  if  1  come  ])efore  Arahs, 
of  the  good  understanding  between  tlie  Prince  and 
myself;  and  if  I  reach  tlie  Egyptian  othcers,  some  of 
whom  are  prol>al)ly  illiterate,  they  nmst  accept  the 
swortl  as  a  token  that  we  are  not  traders. 

Vou  will  have  seen  by  the  papeis  that  I  have  taken 
witli  me  sixtv-one  soldiers — Sou«hinese.      Mv  ol)iect  has 

V  2 


'^K 


08 


7.V  DAUKEfiT  AFJiJCA. 


1SS7. 
Mairh  'J. 

Caiie  of 

(i(Knl  Hope 


Itecii  to  enable  tliem  to  speak  for  me  to  tlie  Sondaiiese 
of  lv|uatoria.  Tlie  F^nvptians  may  atiect  to  <]isi)elieve 
tinnans  ami  the  writinu'  of  Niil)ai".  in  wliicli  case  these 
Soudanese  will  l)e  pushed  forward  as  li\ing  witnesses  of 
my  commission. 

I  have  settled  several  little  commissions  at  Zanzibar 


poll".  HAIT    C'K    TU'ri:-TTB. 


satisfactorily.  Oiic  was  to  get  the  Sultan  to  sign  the 
concessicms  v.liich  Alackinnon  tried  to  obtain  a  !(/iig 
time  ago.  Vs  the  ; 'el•mali^  Jiave  magnificent  tcn'it(>r\' 
east  of  Z.iiizihar,  it  was  l»ut  fail-  tliat  Kugland  should 
have  some  portion  for  tiie  protection  she  lias  accorde*! 
to    Zanzihai'    since     1841.      The    (Jermans    appeared    to 


LITTLE   COMMI^SIOXS   AT  ZAXZIIiAIl. 


(Ill 


the 

■itol'V 
lould 
hrdeil 
K  t    to 


luive  recoo-iiized  tliis,  as  vou  mav  see  hv  the  hite  Aiio-Jo- 
(jlermuii  Agreement,  France  liad  already  ()l)tained  p: 
immense  area  m  West  Africa.  All  the  world  had  \<.-  mmi 
to  (constitute  the  (hmiain  of  King  Leopold,  on  which  lie 
htul  spent  a  million  sterling,  as  the  Independent  State 
of  the  Congo.  Portugal,  whicli  is  a  chronic  grumhler, 
and  does  little,  and  that  little  in  a  high-handed.  illil)eral 
manner,  has  also  been  graciously  considered  by  the 
European  Powers  ;  ])ut  England,  which  had  sent  out  Ian- 
explorers,  Livingstone,  Burton,  Bpeke,  (irant.  Baker, 
Keith  Johnston,  Tlumiscm,  Elton,  &c.,  had  obtained 
nothing,  and  probably  no  people  had  taken  such  interest 
in  the  Dark  (Vmtinent,  or  had  undergone  such  saci'ifices 
in  behalf  of  the  aborimnes,  as  the  Enolish.  Her 
cruisers  for  the  last  twentv  years  had  policed  the  ocean 
along  the  coast  to  suppress  slave-catching  ;  her  missions 
were  twenty-two  in  number,  settled  between  East  and 
AVest  Africa,  This  concession  that  we  wished  to  obtain 
embraced  a  portion  of  the  East  African  coast,  of  which 
Alombasa  and  Melindi  were  tlie  principal  towns.  For 
eight  years,  to  my  knowledge,  the  matter  had  been 
placed  before  His  Highness,  but  the  Sultan's  signature 
was  {lifti('uit  to  obtain. 

Arriving  at  Zanzibar,  I  saw  the  Sultan  was  aging, 
and  that  he  had  not  lono-  to  live.*  Enolishmen  could 
not  invest  mcmey  in  the  reserved  "  sphere  of  influence  ' 
until  some  such  concessions  were  sinned. 

"  Please  God,"  said  the  Sultan.  '"  we  shall  agree  ; 
there  will  be  no  further  doul)t  about  the  matter."  But 
his  political  anxieties  are  wearing  liini  fast,  and  unless 
this  matter  is  soon  completed  it  will  be  too  late. 

The  other  afiair  was  with  Tippu-Tib.  He  had  actu- 
ally in  his  possession  three  Krupp  shells,  unloa(h'(l, 
which  he  had  brought  with  him  from  Stanley  Falls,  on 
the  Upper  CVmgo,  to  Zanzibar,  to  exhibit  to  his  friends 
as  the  kind  of  missiles  which  the  Belgians  pelted  liis 
settlements  with — and  he  was  e.xceedinglv  wroth,  and 
nourishfd  a  deep  scheme  of  retaliation.  It  took  mc 
•^onie  time  to  (juiet;   his  spasms   of  I'escntment.      People 


ls,s7. 
March  9. 

Cape  ut' 
< iiiDil  Hope 


Seyyiil  Kurtrliash  died  six  months  lat 


vv. 


70 


IN  DAHKEST  AFRICA. 


1887. 
Marcli  9. 

Cape  of 
Good  Ho]i(', 


very  furious  must  Ije  allowed  time  to  vent  their  anger. 
AVlien  he  had  poured  out  liis  indignation  some  time,  I 
([uietly  asked  liim  if  lie  had  finislied,  saying,  in  a  1)land 
way,  tliat  I  knew  well  how  great  and  powerful  he  was,  etc, 
and  I  told  him  that  it  was  scarcely  fair  to  ])lame  all  the 
Europeans  and  King  Leopold  because  an  othcer  at 
Stanley  Falls  had  been  pleased  to  heave  Krupp  shells  at 
his  settlements  ;  that  this  trouble  had  been  caused  hy 
the  excess  of  zeal  of  one  man  in  defendinii;  a  slave  woman 
who  had  sought  his  protection,  in  the  same  way  that 
Ea.  iid,  his  nephew,  had  been  carried  away  by  the  fury 
of  youth  to  defend  his  rights.  The  Governor  of  the 
Congo  State  wj^s  a})sent  nearly  1500  miles  down  the 
river,  and  Tippu-Tib,  the  owner  of  the  settlements,  was 
several  hundred  miles  eastward  on  the  way  to  Zauzibr. 
Now  I  look  upon  this  affair  as  the  result  of  a  match 
between  one  young  white  man  and  a  young  Arab,  The 
gray  heads  are  absent  who  would  have  settled  the 
troul)le  without  fighting  :  youths  are  always  "  on  their 
muscle,"  you  know, 

"  Do  you  know,"  I  continued,  "  that  that  station  has 
o-iven  us  a  oreat  deal  of  trouble.  \Ve  sent  Amelot,  vou 
remember.  Well,  he  just  left  t^e  station  without 
orders,  and  d.'ed  somewhere  near  Nycu.gwe' ;  then  the  next, 
Oleerup,  a  fcwede,  followed  suit,  and  travelled  across 
Africa  instead  ;  then  we  sent  Deane,  and  for  a  change 
he  would  have  w^ar  with  the  Arabs.  King  Leopold  is 
not  to  blame  for  all  this.  It  is  a  difficult  thing  to  get 
men  who  are  always  wise,  and  understand  thoroughly 
what  their  orders  are.  If  King  Leopold  had  sent  Deane 
to  fight  you,  he  would  not  have  sent  him  with  thirty 
men,  you  may  be  sure." 

Now,  look  here.  He  proposes  that  you  try  your 
hand  at  governing  that  station.  He  will  pay  you  every 
month  what  he  would  pay  an  European  officer.  There 
are  certain  little  conditions  that  you  must  comply  with 
l)efore  you  become  Governor," 

Tippu-Tib  opened  his  eyes  and  snapped  them  rapidly, 
as  his  custtmi  is,  and  asked,  "  Me  ?  " 

"  Yes,  you.     You   like    money  ;  I  offer  you  money. 


J  GREEMENTS    WITH   TIPPU-  TIB. 


71 


la  m 

)  get 

'My 

eaiie 
lliirty 

your 
jVeiy 
riiere 
Iwitli 

idlv, 
iiey. 


You   have  a  grudge    against    wliite  men    1)eing    tliere.      i««7. 
Well,  if  you  do  your  work  rightly  there  will  he  no  need   ^'^'■'''"^• 
for  any  white  men,  except  him  whom  we  sliall  have  to  oioH  HoL 
place   under   you,  to   see    that  the  conditions  are  not 
broken." 

"  Well,  what  are  they  ?  " 

"  You  must  hoist  the  flag  of  the  State.  You  nnist 
allow  a  Resident  to  be  with  you,  who  will  write  your 
reports  to  the  King.  You  must  neither  trade  in  slaves, 
nor  allow  anybody  else  to  trade  in  them  below  Stanley 
Falls.  Nor  must  there  be  any  slave-cat(^hing  ;  you  under- 
stand. Such  trade  as  you  make  in  ivory,  gums,  rubber, 
cattle,  and  anything  else,  you  may  do  as  much  as  you 
please.  But  there  is  to  be  no  pillaging  native  property 
of  any  description  wliatever  below  your  station.  A 
monthly  allowance  will  be  paid  into  the  hands  of  your 
Agent  at  Zanzibar.  Don't  answer  right  away.  Go  and 
discuss  it  with  your  friends,  and  think  of  what  I  otler 
you.  My  ship  sails  on  the  third  day.  Give  me  your 
answer  to-morrow\" 

A  favourable  answer  was  given,  a  proper  agreement 
was  drawn  up  l)efore  the  Consul-General,  and  we  both 
signed.    . 

I  made  another  agreement  with  him  about  the  en- 
gagement  of  carriers  to  carry  ammunition  to  Lake 
Albert  from  the  Congo.  If  there  is  no  ivory  I  shall  be 
indebted  to  Tippu-Tib  for  the  sum  of  £3,600.  But 
there  must  be  some,  as  })oth  Emin  Pasha  and  Dr.  Junker 
declare  there  is  a  large  store  of  it.  At  the  same  time 
I  shall  not  risk  the  Expedition  for  the  sake  of  the 
ivory. 

In  consideration  of  these  services  which  Tippu-Tib 
has  solemnly  contracted  to  perform,  I  permitted  him 
free  passage  for  himself  and  ninety-six  of  his  kinsmen 
from  Zanzibar  to  the  Congo,  with  board  included.  I 
also  undertook  the  responsibility  of  conveying  the 
entire  partv  safelv  to  Stanley  Falls,  thus  incurring  not 
a  small  expense,  but  which  if  ftiithfully  performed  will 
itfe  amply  paid  for  by  the  services  menticjned  in  the 
articles  of  agreement.     These  negotiations  with  Tippu- 


r  J 


72 


7^"  DARKEST  A  I'll IC A. 


1887.  Tib  also  ensure  for  us  a  penceful  iiuirch  from  the  C'oiioo 
March  9.  (^iii.,)„M^  \{y^  tei'i'itoi'v,  u  thill*''  thut  woiil<l  have  l)eeii 
GoodHope.  ^*y  ^^^^  iiieaiis  p()ssil)le  without  him — as  his  various 
hordes  of  raiders  will  be  widely  scattered  throuf>hout 
the  region  ;  and  it  is  scarcely  likely  that  we  should  be 
allowed  to  pass  in  peace,  resenting,  as  they  must  naturally 
do,  their  late  rupture  with  Deane.  Having  bound  Tippu- 
Tib  to  me  I  feel  somewhat  safe  against  that  constant 
fear  of  desertion  of  the  Zanzil)aris.  No  Arab  will  now 
persuade  the  people  to  desert,  as  is  their  custom  when 
a  white  man's  Expedition  passes  near  their  settlements. 
Tippu-Tib  dare  not  countenance  such  proceedings  in 
this  case. 

The  Madura  is  a  comforta])le  steamer.  On  the 
Oriental  and  Navaritio  we  were  uncomfortably  crowded. 
Tween  decks  abreast  of  the  boilers  is  rather  a  hot  pla<te 
for  the  people  ;  but  we  have  had  agreeable  weather,  and 
the  men  have  preferred  to  stow  themselves  in  the  Ixjats, 
and  among  the  donkeys,  and  on  deck,  to  the  baking 
heat  below. 

Two  hours  from  Zanzibar,  what  is  called  a  "  shindy  " 
took  place  betw^een  the  Zanzibaris  and  Soudanese. 
For  a  short  time  it  appeared  as  though  we  should  have 
to  return  to  Zanzibar  with  many  dead  and  wounded. 
It  rose  from  a  strugojle  for  room.  The  Soudanese  had 
been  located  directly  in  the  way  of  the  Zanzibaris,  who, 
being  ten  times  more  numerous,  reijuired  breathing 
space.  They  were  all  professed  Moslems,  but  no  one 
thought  of  their  religion  as  they  seized  upon  firewood 
and  pieces  of  planking  to  batter  and  l)ruise  each  other. 
The  battle  had  raj^ed  some  time  l)efore  I  heard  of  it. 
As  I  looked  down  the  hatchway  the  sight  was  fearful — 
blood  freely  tl(jwed  down  a  score  of  fa(;es,  and  ugly 
pieces  of  firewood  flew  al)out  very  lively.  A  command 
could  not  be  heard  in  that  uproar,  and  some  of  us 
joined  in  with  shillelaghs,  directing  our  attacks  upon 
the  noisiest.  It  re(j[uired  a  mixture  of  persuasiveness  and 
sharp  knocks  to  reduce  the  fractious  factions  to  order, 
especially  with  the  Soudanese  minority,  who  are  huge 
fellows.       The    Soudanese   were  marched    out    of   their 


'shindy'  between  zaszibaius  and  .socdaxese.  7n 

place  and   located   aft,  and    the  Zanziharis  had   all   the     i«s7. 
forward  half  of  the  ship  to  themselves.      After  \v<>   had   ^''^'''^  ^• 
\vi[)e(l    the    hlood    and    perspiration     away    1     conipli-  noodTini.o. 
mented   the    otticers,   especially    Jejihson,    Nelson,    and 
Bonny,  for   their   share   in    the    fray.       They    had  he- 
haved    most   gallantly.     The  result    of  the  scrimmage 
is  ten  broken  ai'ms,  fifteen  serious  gashes  with  speais 
on    the  face   and    head,   and    contusions   on    shouldei's 
and  backs  not  worth  remark,  and  several  abrasions  (jf 
the  lower  lind)s. 

Surgeon  Parke  has  l)een  very  Imsy  A'accinating  the 
entire  comnmnity  on  boartl  ship.  Fortunately  1  had 
procured  a  large  supply  of  lymph  for  this  purpose, 
because  of  the  harsh  experience  of  the  past. 

We  also  divided  the  people  into  seven  companies  of 
about  ninety  men  each. 

I  have  ordered  my  Agent  to  send  me  200  loads  of 
various  goods  to  meet  the  Expedition  at  ^Isalala,  south 
end  of  Lake  Victoria.  They  will  be  sent  about  October 
or  November,  1887,  arriving  at  Msalala  in  February  or 
March,  1888,  because  if  everything  proceeds  as  I  should 
wish,  we  shall  be  somewhere  near  tliere  not  very  long 
after  that  date. 

*Jk  Jk  ^L  ^ 

*|C  Tff  7ft  TJT 

I  have  been  in  the  company  of  my  otticers  since  I 
left  Aden,  and  I  have  been  quietly  observing  them.  I 
will  give  you  a  sketch  of  them  as  they  apjDear  to  me 
now. 

Barttelot  is  a  little  too  eager,  and  will  have  to  be 
restrained.  Tliere  is  abundance  of  \vork  in  him,  and  this 
<{uality  would  be  most  lovely  if  it  were  always  according 
to  orders.  The  most  valuable  man  to  me  would  be  he 
who  had  Barttelot's  spirit  and  "  go  "  in  him,  and  wIk^ 
could  come  and  ask  if  such  and  such  a  work  ought  to 
be  done.  Such  a  course  suo-o-ests  thoui»htfulness  and 
willingness,  besides  proper  respect. 

Tliere  is  a  great  deal  in  ]\lounteney  Jephson,  though 
he  was  supposed  to  be  effeminate.  He  is  actually  fierce 
when  roused,  and  his  face  becomes  dangerously  set  and 
fixed.      I  noted  him  during  the  late  battle  aboard,  and 


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7.V   DARKEST  AFRICA. 


1SH7.      I  caiiie  near  ciyiiig  out  "  Bravo,  Jephsoii  !  "  t]iouo;li  I 

March  9.  j^.^j  my  owii  Stick,  "  l)ig  as  a  mast,"  as  the  Zanzibaris 

G.^od  Hope,  "^'ly,   to  wield.      It  was  most  gallant  and  plucky.      He 

will    be    either   made    or   marred    if    he   is    with    this 

Expedition  long  enough. 

('a})tain  Nelson  is  a  fine  fellow,  and  without  the 
oliost  of  a  liobhv  :  he  is  the  same  all  round,  and  at  all 
hours. 

8tairs,  of  the  Royal  Engineers,  is  a  splendid  fellow, 
painstaking,  ready,  thoughtful,  and  industrious,  and  is 
an  invaluable  addition  to  our  staff. 

Jameson  is  still  the  nice  fellow  we  saw :  there  is 
not  an  atom  of  change  in  him.  He  is  sociable  and 
i;()od. 

Bonnv  is  the  soldier.  He  is  not  initiative.  He 
seems  to  have  been  under  a  martinet's  drill. 

#  ♦  «  «  « 

March  \m,  1887. 

At  Cape  Town,  Tippu-Tib,  after  remarking  the  pros- 
perity and  business  stir  of  the  city,  and  hearing  its 
history  from  me,  said  that  he  formerly  had  thought  all 
white  men  to  be  fools. 

"  Really,"  I  said  ;  "  Why  ?  " 

"  That  was  my  opinion." 

"Indeed!  and  what  do  you  think  o^  them  now?"  I 
asked. 

"■  I  think  thev  have  something  in  them,  and  that 
they  are  more  enterprising  than  Arabs." 

"  What  makes  you  think  so,  particularly  now  ?  " 

"  Well,  myself  and  kinsmen  have  been  looking  at 
this  town,  these  big  ships  and  piers,  and  we  have 
thought  how  much  better  all  these  things  appear  com- 
pared to  Zanzibar,  which  was  captured  from  the 
Portuguese  before  this  town  was  built,  and  I  have  been 
wondering  why  we  could  not  have  done  as  well  as  you 
white  people.  I  begin  to  think  you  must  be  very 
clever. 

"  If  you  have  discovered  so  nmch,  Tippu-Tib,  you  are 
on    the   hiiih   road  to  discover  more.     The  white    men 


AliliJVAL   AT  THE  MOUTH    OF  THE   t'UXGO   ItlVElL      75 


He 


?"  1 
that 


<X  at 
lave 
om- 
the 
)eeii 
you 
very 


recjuire  a  deal  of  study  before  you  can  <juite  make  them 
out.  It  is  a  pity  you  never  went  to  Enghind  for  a 
visit. ' 

"  I  hope  to  go  there  l>efore  I  die." 

"  Be  faithful  to  us  on  this  hmg  journey,  and  1  will 
take  you  there,  and  you  will  see  more  things  than  you 
can  dream  of  now." 

"  Inshallah  !    if  it  is  the  will  of  Allali    we   sliall   mo 


March  ItJ. 
Cajie'l'owri. 


o 


together." 

«  «  4(  «  « 

On  the  18th  March  the  Madura  entered  tlie  moutli  of 
the  Congo  River,  and  dropped  her  anchor  al)out  '200 
yards  abreast  of  the  sandy  point,  called  Banana. 

In  a  few  minutes  I  was  in  the  presence  of  Mr.  l.afon- 
taine  Ferney,  the  chief  Agent  of  the  Dutch  C\)mi)any, 
to  whom  our  steamer  was  consigned.  Through  some 
delay  he  had  not  l)een  informed  of  our  intending  to 
arrive  as  soon.  Everybody  ju'ofe  'sed  surj)rise,  as  tliey 
did  not  expect  us  before  thi  Hath,  lait  tliis  fortunate 
accident  was  solely  due  to  the  captain  and  the  good 
steamer.  However,  I  succeeded  in  makinu;  arrani»ements 
by  which  the  Dutch  CVanpany's  steamer  K.  A.  Nianan 
— so  named  after  a  fine  vounij  man  of  that  name,  who 
had  lately  died  at  St.  Paul  de  Loanda — would  l)e  placed 
at  my  disposal,  for  the  transpoit  to  Mataddi  of  2.'i0 
men  next  day. 

On  returning  to  the  ship,  I  found  my  officers 
surrounding  two  English  traders,  connected  witli  the 
British  Congo  Company  of  Banana.  They  were  saying 
some  unpleasant  things  about  the  condition  of  tlie  State 
steamers.  "  Tliere  is  a  piece  of  tlie  Sfaiih't/  on  sliore 
now,  whicli  will  <;ive  von  an  idea  of  that  steamer.  Tlie 
StanJi'i/  is  a  perfect  ruin,  we  are  told.  However,  will 
you  leave  the  Pool  ?  The  State  has  not  one  steamer  in 
service.  They  are  all  drawn  up  on  the  banks  for 
repairs,  which  will  take  months.  We  don't  see  how  you 
ai'e  to .  get  awav  from  here  under  six  weeks  !  I^ook  at 
that  big  steamer  on  the  sands  !  she  has  just  come  out 
from  Europe  ;  the  fool  of  a  captain  j-an  her  on  shore 
instead  of  waiting  for  a  pilot.      She  has  got  the  sections 


r 


76 


IN  DARKEHT  AFRICA. 


Congo 
Ikiver. 


1H87.  of  a  steamer  in  her  liold.  The  Ileran  and  Behjiquf,  ])otli 
March  18.  '^^.^^^^  steamers,  have  first,  of  course,  tf)  float  that  steamer 
ofl".     You  are  in  for  it  nicely,  we  can  tell  you." 

Naturally,  this  news  was  very  disc'ouraging  to  our 
officers,  an«l  two  of  them  hastened  to  comfort  me  with 
the  disastrous  news.  They  were  not  so  well  acquainted 
with  the  manners  of  tlie  "  natives  "  of  tlie  Lower  C'onao 
as  I  was.  I  onlv  marvelled  whv  thev  had  not  been 
politely  re«peste<l  to  accompany  their  new  aquaintaiices 
to  the  cemeterv,  in  order  that  thev  miojht  have  the 
ex(|uisite  gratification  of  exhibiting  the  painted  liead- 
])<)ards,  which  record  the  deaths  of  manv  fine  voung 
men,  as  promising  in  appearance  as  they. 

I  turned  to  the  Agent  of  the  British  f'ongo,  and 
requested  permission  to  charter  his  steamer,  the  Allm- 
qaerqiw.  The  gentleman  graciously  acceded.  This 
assured  me  transport  for  140  men  and  GO  tons  cargo. 
I  then  begged  that  he  and  his  friend  would  negotiate  for 
the  charter  of  the  large  paddle  boat  the  Serpa  Pinto. 
Their  good  offices  were  entirely  successful,  and  before 
evening  I  knew  that  we  should  leave  Banana  Point 
with  680  men  and  160  tons  cargo  on  the  next  da  v. 
The  State  steamer  Ileroti  I  was  told  would  not  be  able 
to  leave  l>efore  the  20th. 

On  the  19th  the  steamers  A'.  ^1.  Kicman,  Albuquerque, 
and  Serpa  Pinto,  departed  from  Banana  Point,  and 
before  nijjht  had  anchored  at  Ponta  da  Lenlia.  The 
next  day  the  two  former  steamers  steamed  straight 
up  to  Mataddi.  The  Serpa  Pinto  hauled  into  the  pier 
at  Boma,  to  allow  me  to  send  an  official  intimation  of 
the  fact  that  the  new  Governor  of  Stanley  Falls  was 
aboard,  and  to  receive  a  hurried  visit  from  two  of  the 
Executive  C  Commit  tee  charged  with  the  administration 
of  the  Congo  State. 

We  had  but  time  to  exchange  a  few  words,  but  in 
that  short  time  they  managed  to  inform  me  that  thc'^ 
was  a  "  famine  in  the  country  "  ;  that  "  the  villages  ah)ng 
the  road  to  the  Pool  were  abandoned  "  ;  that  "  the  Sfanlef/ 
was  seriously  damaged "  ;  that  "  the  Mission  steamers 
Peace  and  Ilenr^/  Peed  were  in  some   unknown  pai'ts  of 


VOSDITION   OF   THE   CONGO   RlVEli    STEAM  EL'S. 


I  i 


'rque, 
and 
The 

raight 


Kiver. 


the  Upper  (V)iigo''  ;  that  "the  En  Evcuit  was  on  shore  i887. 
without  machinerv  or  })oiler  ; "  that  '*  tlie  A.  /.  vl.  was  ^'•"■'''' ^*'- 
500  miles  above  Stanley  Pool "  ;  and  tliat  "  tlie  l\(ii/(d 
was  perfectly  rotten  ;  "  and  had  not  heen  employed  foi'  a 
vear ;  in  faet,  that  the  whole  of  the  naval  stock 
promised  did  not  exist  at  all  except  in  the  imagi na- 
tion of  the  gentlemen  of  the  Bureau  at  Brussels;  an<l, 
said  one,  who  seemed  to  he  the  principal  of  tlie  Executive 
(  ommittee,  with  deliherate  emphasis:  "The  Itoats  were 
onlv  to  assist  vou  if  thev  could  he  yiven  without 
])rejudice  to  the  service  of  the  State." 

The  grutf  voice  of  the  Portuguese  captain  of  the 
SerjHt  Pinto  ordered  the  gentlemen  on  shore,  and  wc 
proceeded  on  our  way  up  the  ( 'ongo. 

^\y  thoughts  were  not  of  the  pleasantest.  Witli  my 
flotilla  of  fifteen  whale  boats  1  might  have  l»een 
independent;  but  there  was  an  objection  to  the  Congo 
route,  and  therefore  that  plan  was  abandoned.  AVe  had 
no  sooner  adopted  the  East  (V)ast  route  than  the 
Sovereign  r  f  the  Congo  State  invited  the  Expedition  to 
pass  through  his  territory  ;  the  Clermans  had  murnuired, 
cind  the  French  Government  protested  at  the  idea  of 
our  marching  through  East  Africa.  When  it  was  too 
late  to  order  the  flotilla  of  whale  boats  frcmi  Forrest  and 
Son  we  then  accepted  the  C^)ngo  route,  after  stipulating 
for  transport  up  the  Lower  CVjngo,  for  porterage  to 
Stanley  Pool,  and  the  loan  of  the  steamers  on  the  Cpper 
Congo  which  w'ere  now  said  to  be  wrecked,  rotten,  or 
without  boilers  or  engines,  or  scattered  inaccessible.  In 
my  ears  rang  the  cry  in  England  :  "  Hurry  up,  or  you 
mav  be  too  late!"  and  sin<»inf>'  throuoh  mv  memory 
were  the  words  of  Junker  :  "  Emin  will  be  lost  unk'ss 
immediate  aid  l»e  given  him;"  and  f^min's  appeal  for 
help;  for,  if  denied,  "  we  shall  perish." 

"Well,  the  aspect  of  our  work  is  ominous.  It  is  not 
my  fault,  and  what  we  liave  to  do  is  simple  enougli. 
We  have  given  our  promise  to  strive  our  level  l»est. 
It  is  no  time  for  regret,  but  to  struyolc  and  "steer 
right  onward."  Every  article  of  our  verltal  bond, 
having    accej)ted  this  responsildlity,  we  must    perfoim, 


78 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


ill 


1887. 
March  19. 

Congo 
Kiver. 


and  it  is  the   manner  of  this  performance  that  I  now 
propose  to  rehite. 

I  shall  not  delay  the  narration  to  give  descriptions  of 
the  route  overland  to  the  Pool,  or  of  the  Upper  Congo 
and  its  banks,  as  these  have  been  suffir-ientlv  treated  of 
in  '  Through  the  Dark  Continent,'  and  '  The  Congo  and 
the  Founding  of  its  Free  State ' ;  and  I  now  propose  to 
be  very  brief  with  the  incidents  of  our  journey  to 
Yand)uya,  at  the  Jiead  of  navigation  on  the  Aruwimi. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


TO   STANLEY    POOL. 


Dct.ails  of  tlic  jonrney  to  Stanley  Pool — The  Soudanese  and  the  Somalis 
— ^lectins  with  Mr.  Herbert  Ward— Canij)  at  Congo  la  Leniba — 
Kindly  entertained  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bicliards — I^etters  from  uj) 
river — Lettei-s  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bentley  and  others  for  assistance — 
Arrival  at  Mwembi — Necessity  of  enforcing  discii)line— IMarch  to 
Vom bo— Incident  at  Lnkungu  Station — The  Zanziliaris — Incident 
l)etween  Jephson  and  Salini  at  the  Inkissi  River— A  series  of 
complaints— The  Rev.  Mr.  Bentley  and  the  steamer  I'air>—\\Q 
reach  Makoko's  village — Leopoldville— Difficulties  regarding  the  use 
of  the  Mission  pteamers — Monsieiir  Liebrichts  sees  Mr.  Biliington — 
Visit  to  Mr.  Swinburne  at  Kinshassa — Orders  to  and  duties  of  the 
officers. 

Ox  the  21st  of  March  the  Expedition  (lel)aike(l  at  the 
hiii(ling-phxce  of  tlie  Portuguese  trading-house  of  Senor 
Joda  Ferrier  d'Al)ren,  situate  at  Mataddi,  at  a  distance  of 
108  miles  from  the  Atlantic.  As  fast  as  the  steamers 
were  discharged  of  their  passengers  and  cargo  they  cast 
ort"  to  return  to  the  seaport  of  Banana,  ov  the  river 
port  below. 

About  noon  the  Portuguese  gunboat  Kacom/o  hove  in 
sight.  She  brought  Major  Barttelot,  Mr.  Jephson,  and 
a  number  of  Soudanese  and  Zanzi])aris ;  and  soon  after 
the  state  steamer  I/cron  l)rought  up  the  remaimler  of 
the  caro;o  left  on  board  the  M<«lura. 

We  set  up  the  tents,  stored  the  immense  quantity  of 
rice,  biscuits,  millet,  salt,  hay,  etc.,  and  bestirred  our- 
selves like  men  with  unlimited  work  l)efore  us.  Every 
tticer  distinguished  himself — the  Zanzibaris  showed  by 
their  celerity  that  they  were  glad  to  be  on  shore. 

( )ur  European  party  now  consisted  of  Messrs.  Barttelot, 
Stairs,  Nelson,  Jephson,  Parke,  Bonny,  who  had  voyaged 
with  me  from  Aden,  Mr.  Walker,  an  engineer,  who  had 


.March  ->l. 
MiUiuldi. 


<> 


#- 

* 


80 


y.V  DAIiKJCST  AFJiJCA. 


1HH7. 
March  21. 

Matad.li. 


II  if 


i(mR'«l  us  at  the  r{i[)t'.  Mr.  In^^hani.  jin  c'x-( Juard.snmn, 
who  was  our  Conyo  Ayent  for  collectioii  of  native 
carriers,  Mr.  .lohn  Rose  Troup,  who  liad  ])een  despatclied 
to  su[)erintend  native  porterage  to  tlie  Pool  from  Mun- 
yan<i;Ji<  «>Ji<l  «i  l^iropean  servant. 

On  the  folh)winL''  (hiy  171  porters,  carrving  7  boxes 
liiscuits  =  420  ll)s.,  157  hags  of  rice  =  10,205  Ihs.,  and 
Iteads.  departed  from  Mataddi  to  Lukungu  as  a  reserve 
store  foi'  the  lv\|)edition  on  arrival.  There  were 
180  sacks  of  170  Ihs.  each  -  ;}0.(;00  Ihs.  besides,  ready 
to  follow  or  precede  us  as  carriers  offered  themselves, 
and  which  were  to  ])e  dn^pped  at  various  places 
rih  ronfc,  and  at  the  Pool.  Couriers  w^ere  also  sent 
U\  the  Pool  witii  recjuest  to  the  Commandant  to  hurry 
up  the  repairs  of  all  steamers. 

On  the  second  <hiy  of  arrival,  Mr.  Ingham  appeared 
with  2'20  cai'riers,  engaged  at  a  sovereign  per  load  for 
conveying  goods  to  the  Pool.  Lieutenant  Stairs  practised 
with  the  Maxim  automatic  gun,  which  fired  -'J30  shots 
per  minute,  to  the  great  admiration  of  Tippu-Tib  and  his 
followers. 

On  the  25tli  the  trumpets  sounded  in  the  Soudanese 
camp  at  5.15  A.M.  By  6  o'clock  tents  were  folded,  the 
companies  were  ranged  by  their  respec^tive  captains,  and 
near  each  company's  stack  of  goods,  and  by  6.15  A.M.  I 
marched  out  with  the  vanguard,  behind  which  streamed 
the  Expedition,  according  to  their  company,  in  single 
file,  bearing  with  us  4()()  separate  "charges"  or  porter- 
loads  of  ammunition,  cloth,  beads,  wire,  canned  pro- 
visions, rice,  salt,  oil  for  engines,  brass  rods,  and  iron 
wire.  The  setting  out  was  admira})le,  ])ut  after  the  first 
hour  of  the  march  the  mountains  were  so  steep  and 
stony,  the  sunshine  was  so  hot,  the  loads  so  heavy,  the 
men  so  new  to  the  work  after  the  glorious  plenty  on 
board  the  Madura,  and  we  ourselves  were  in  such  an 
overfed  condition,  that  the  Expedition  straggled  in  the 
most  disheartening  manner  to  those  not  prepared  for 
such  a  sight.  Arriving  at  the  first  river,  the  Mpozo, 
the  Advance  was  already  j* tinted,  and  we  were  ferried 
over  to  the  other  bank  by  fifties,  and  camped. 


•(Isnum, 

native 

patclicd 

11  jMiiii- 


(    boxes 


I 


)S.,  UIK 


reserve 
e  were 
.  ready 
iiselvert, 
places 
^o  sent 
o  hurry 

ppeared 
oad  for 
ractised 
JO  shots 
and  his 

udanese 
ed,  the 

ins,  and 

A.M.  I 

earned 
single 
porter- 
1  pro- 
d  iron 
le  first 
ep  and 
vy,  the 
ntv  on 
uch  an 
in  the 
red  for 
Mpozo, 
ferried 


:r 


11 


K 
a: 

w 

r 

e 
c 


c 


4- 


^!'i 


THE  soritASKsK  A\n  tin-:  somaus. 


88 


The  Soudaneso  were  u  wretclKMl  sio-lit.     The  Soniulis 


1HH7. 


wore    toleraUk',    tliuu<;li     tlicy    luul     giuinhlcd     oicatly  Mar.h2\ 
iK'caiise    there   were    no    camels.      The    lonner    sliovve*!     ^'j'"^" 
reniarka}»ly    l)a(l    temper,     ('overed    with   their   liooded 
ffreat-coats,   they  had   endured    a    terriltk'    atmosphere, 
and  the  effects  of  heat,  fatigue,  and  little  worries  were 
very  prominent. 

The  next  day  we  camped  in  the  grounds  of  Pala]»alla, 
belonging  to  the  Livingstone  Inland   Mission,  and  wero 


MAXIM    AUTOMATIC   GCN. 


most  hospitably  treated  l)y  Mr.  Clarke,  the  superin- 
tendent, and  ladies.  As  our  men  were  so  new  to  their 
work,  we  halted  the  next  (hiy.  By  the  officers'  returns 
I  found  that  nine  had  died  since  leaving  Zan/iltar,  and 
seventeen  were  so  ill  that  we  were  compelled  to  leave 
them  at  Palaballa  to  rei^uperate. 

We  resumed  the  march  on  the  28th,  and  reached 
Maza  Mankengi.  On  the  road  Mr.  Herbert  Ward  was 
met,  and  volunteered  as  a  member  of  the  Expedition. 


'IF 


84 


/X   UMth'HST  AFIilCA. 


lfiH7. 
M.ticli  'Js. 

Miiiikfiiiri, 


ti 


\v 


\\(\  was  (Mi<;a<^iMl,  and  scut  to  Mataildi  to  assist  Mr. 
Iiin'iimi  witli  tlio  jiative  transport.  Mr.  Ward  had  lieoii 
of  late  years  in  the  servi<'e  of  the  Coiij^o  State,  and 
previously  liad  wandered  in  New  Zealand  and  Borneo, 
and  was  always  regarded  hy  nie  as  a  young  man  of  great 
promise. 

We  were  in  camp  ])y  noon  of  the  "JDtli  at  Congo  la 
Lcnd)a.  on  the  site  of  a  ])lace  I  knew  some  years  ago  as 
a  Honrishing  village.  The  chief  of  it  was  then  in  his 
glory,  an  undisputc<l  master  of  the  district.  Prospeiity, 
liowever,  spoiled  him,  and  he  liegan  to  exact  tolls  from 
the  State  caravans.  The  route  heing  Mocked  hy  his 
insolence,  the  State  sent  a  force  of  liangalas,  who  cap- 
tui'CMl  and  l)ehea<led  him.  The  village  was  hurnt,  and 
the  |)eoj)le  fled  elsewhere.  The  village  site  is  now 
coveied  with  tall  grass,  an<l  its  guava,  palm,  and  lemon- 
trees  are  choked  with  reeds. 

There  was  a  slight  improvement  in  the  oi'der  of  the 
march,  hut  the  heiiinninu'  of  an  Expedition  is  alwavs  a 
trying  time.  The  Zanziliaris  carry  (55  ll)s.  of  ammuni- 
tion, 9  ll)s.  per  riHe,  four  days'  rations  of  rice,  and  their 
own  kit,  which  mav  be  from  4  to  10  lbs.  weit^ht  of  cloth 
and  bedding  mats.  After  they  have  become  acclimated 
this  weight  appears  light  to  them  ;  but  during  the  first 
month  we  have  to  be  very' careful  not  to  make  long 
marches,  and  to  exercise  much  forbearance. 

A  heavy  rain  detained  us  the  early  part  of  next  day, 
but  soon  after  nine  we  moved  on  and  reached  the  Lufu 
River.  It  was  a  terribly  fatiguing  march.  Until  mid- 
night the  peo])le  came  streaming  in,  tired,  footsore,  and 
.sour.  The  officers  slept  in  my  tent,  and  supped  on 
))iscuits  and  rice. 

Near  the  Mazamba  Wood  we  passed  Baron  von 
Rothkirch  supervising  a  party  of  Ka]>indas,  who 
were  hauling  the  Florida's  shaft.  At  the  rate  of 
progress  they  would  probaldy  reach  the  Pool  about 
August  next  ;  and  at  the  Bembezi  Ford  a  French  trader 
was  met  des(;ending  with  a  fine  hjt  of  ivory  tusks. 

We  passed  the  Mangola  River  on  the  31st,  when  I 
was  myself  disabled  by  a  fit  of  sickness  from  indulging 


riioiiitKss  cr  rill-:  coxnn  iiiviut. 


85 


in  the  ji;uHvas  of  (on«;()  la  l.ciulta.  and  on  the  1st  April 
we  travelled  to  Ban/a  Maiiteka.  At  the  \..  1,  Mission 
}Ay.  and  Mrs.  l^ichards  most  kindly  entertained  ns.  At 
this  place  a  few  years'  mission  work  has  proilnced  a 
great  change.  Nearly  all  the  native  pojtulation  had 
liecome  professed  Christians,  and  atteiuled  Divine 
service  pnnctnally  with  all  the  fervonr  of  revivalists. 
Youn<;  men  whom  i  had  known  as  famous  «'in-<lrinkers 
had  l)ec(mie  solter,  decent  men,  and  most  mannerly  in 
behaviour. 

I  received  tliree  letters  from  up  river,  one  from 
Troup  at  Manyanga,  Swin])urne  at  Kinshassa,  and(Jlave 
at  Equator  Station,  all  giving  a  distressing  account  of 
the  steamers  Stanhnj,  1\'<(C(\  llcun/  Jurd,  and  /v/2 
Anuit.  The  first  is  (himaged  throughout  according  to 
my  informants,  the  Mission  steamers  re(|uire  thorough 
overhauling,  the  Ln  Annif  has  been  reduced  to  a 
harge.  Mr.  Troup  suggests  that  we  carry  a  lighter  or 
two  from  Manyanga  to  the  Pool,  a  thing  utterly  impos- 
sible. We  were  alreadv  overloaded  because  of  the 
rice  we  carried  to  feed  nearly  800  people  througli 
the  starving  country.  In  order  to  lighten  our  work 
slightly  Messrs.  Jeplison  and  Walker  were  despatched 
with  our  steel  boat,  the  Advance,  by  the  Congo  to 
^[anyanga. 

AVe  passed  by  the  Lunionzo  River  on  the  ;Jrd,  and 
the  next  day  camped  on  the  site  of  the  abandoned 
village  of  Kilolo.  During  the  march  I  passed  a 
Soudanese  trying  to  strangle  a  Zanzibari  because  the 
wearied  man  had  slifflitlv  touched  his  shoulder  with  his 
box.  The  spleen  the  Soudanese  show  is  extremely  ex- 
asperating, but  we  must  exendse  patience  yet  awhile. 

A  march  of  three  hours  brought  us  to  the  Kwilu 
River,  with  the  usual  ups  and  downs  of  hills,  which  tire 
the  caravan.  At  the  river,  which  is  100  yards  wide  and 
of  strong  current,  was  a  canoe  without  an  owner.  We 
took  possession  of  it,  and  began  to  cross  the  Advance 
Company  by  tens. 

The  opportunity  afforded  by  the  ferriage  was  seized 
by  me  to  write  appealing  letters  to  the  Commandant  at 


IHH7. 
A|)H>  1. 

Miintuko. 


/• 

> 


86 


IN  DARKEST  AFIilCA. 


1887. 
April  3. 

Kvvilu 
Kiver. 


tij 


lit' 


^^ 


Stanley  Pool  to  interpret  the  orders  of  the  Minister  of 
the  Interior,  Strauch,  according  to  the  generous  spirit 
expressed  by  King  Leopold  when  he  invited  us  to  seek 
Emin  Pasha  via  the  Conoco.  Another  was  directed  to 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Bentley,  of  the  Baptist  Mission,  requesting 
him  to  remember  the  assistance  I  gave  the  Baptists  in 
18C0-84,  and  to  be  prepared  to  lead  the  steamer  Peace 
that  I  might  hurry  the  Expedition  away  from  the 
poverty-stricken  region  around  Stanley  Pool.  Another 
was  despatched  to  Mr.  Billington,  superintendent  of  the 
Henry  Reed,  in  similar  terms,  reminding  him  that  it 
was  I  who  had  given  them  ground  at  Stanley  Pool. 
Another  to  the  Commandant  of  Lukungu  Station,  request- 
ing him  to  collect  400  carriers  to  lighten  the  labours  of 
my  men. 

On  reaching  Mwembi  the  6th  April,  I  was  particularly 
struck  with  the  increase  of  demoralization  in  the 
caravan.  So  far,  in  order  not  to  press  the  people,  I 
had  been  very  quiet,  entrusting  the  labour  of  bringing 
the  stragglers  to  the  younger  men,  that  they  mig-ht 
become  experienced  in  the  troubles  which  beset  Expedi- 
tions in  Africa  ;  but  the  necessity  of  enforcing  discipline 
was  particularly  deuKHistrated  on  this  march.  The 
Zanziliaris  had  no  sooner  pitched  the  tents  of  their 
respective  officers  than  they  rushed  like  madmen  among 
the  neighbouring  villages,  and  commenced  to  loot  native 
property,  in  doing  which  one  named  Khamis  bin 
Athman  was  sh(^t  dead  by  a  plucky  native.  This  fatal 
incident  is  one  of  these  signal  proofs  that  discipline  is 
lietter  than  constant  forbearance,  and  how  soon  even  an 
army  of  licentious,  insubordinate,  and  refractory  men 
would  be  destroyeii. 

It  had  probably  been  believed  by  the  mass  of  the 
people  that  I  was  rather  too  old  to  supervise  the  march, 
as  in  former  times  ;  but  on  the  mai'cli  to  \'om))o,  on  the 
7th,  everyone  was  undeceived,  and  the  last  of  the 
lengthy  caravan  was  in  camp  1)y  11  a.m.,  and  each  officer 
enjoyed  his  lunch  at  no<m,  with  his  mind  at  ease  for 
duty  done  aiul  a  day's  journey  well  made.  There  is 
n(  ►thing  more  agreeal)le  than  the  feeling  one  possesses 


INCliEASE  OF  DEMORALIZATION  IN  THE  VARA  VAN.      8; 


after  a  good  journey  briefly  accomplished.  We  are  i8ft7. 
assured  of  a  good  day's  rest ;  the  remainder  of  the  (hiy  is  ^'""'^  ^• 
our  own  to  read,  to  eat,  to  sleep,  and  be  luxuriously 
inactive,  and  to  think  calmly  of  the  morrow  ;  and  there 
can  scarcely  be  anything  more  disagi-eea])le  than  to  know 
that,  though  the  journey  is  but  a  short  one,  yet  relaxa- 
tion of  severity  permits  that  cruel  dawdling  on  the  road 
in  the  suffocating  high  grass,  or  scorched  by  a  blistering 
sun — the  long  line  of  carriers  is  (^rumpled  up  into  per 
spiring  fragments — water  far  when  most  needed  ;  not  a 
shady  tree  near  the  road  ;  the  loads  rol)bed  and  scattered 
about  over  ten  miles  of  road  ;  the  carriers  skulking 
among  the  reeds,  or  (tooling  themselves  in  groves  at  a 
distance  from  the  road  ;  the  officers  in  despair  at  the  day's 
near  close,  and  hungry  and  vexed,  and  a  near  prospectt  of 
some  such  troubles  to  recur  again  to-morrow  and  the 
day  after.  An  unreflecting  spectator  hovering  near  our 
line  of  march  might  think  we  were  unnecessarily  cruel ; 
but  the  application  of  a  few  cuts  to  the  (M)nfirmed 
stragglers  secure  eighteen  hours'  rest  to  about  800 
people  and  their  officers,  save  the  goods  from  being 
robbed — for  frequontly  these  dawdlers  lag  behind  pur- 
posely for  such  intentions — and  the  day  ends  hap{)ily 
for  all,  and  the  morrow's  journey  has  no  horrors  for  us. 

On  the  8th  the  Expedition  was  welcomed  at  Lukungu 
Station  by  Messrs.  Francqui  and  Dessauer.  These  hos- 
pitable Belgians  had  of  their  own  impulse  gathered  four 
days'  rations  for  our  800  people,  of  potatoes,  bananas, 
brinjalls,  Indian  corn,  and  palm  nuts. 

No  sooner  had  we  aU  assembled  than  the  Soudanese 
gathered  in  a  body  to  demand  more  food.  In  fifteen 
days  they  had  consumeil  each  one  40  lbs.  of  biscuit  and 
rice  ;  and  they  announced  theiv  intention  of  returning  to 
the  Lower  Congo  if  more  rati^uis  were  not  served  out. 
The  four  days'  rations  of  vegetables  they  disdained  to 
touch.  I  had  resolved  to  be  very  patient  ;  and  it  was 
too  early  yet  to  manifest  even  the  desire  to  be  otlier- 
wise.  Extra  rations  (jf  rice  and  l)iscuits  were  accord- 
ingly served  out. 

Fortunately  for  me  personally  there  were  good  officers 


W 

W 


88 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


Ml' 


1887. 
April  8. 

Lukungu. 


with  me  who  (^ould  relieve  me  of  the  necessity  of  coming 
into  conflict  with  wilful  tellows  like  these  sulkv, 
obstinate  Soudanese.  I  reserved  for  mvself  the  role  of 
mediator  between  exasperated  whites  and  headstrong, 
undisciplined  l)lacks.  Provided  one  is  not  himself 
worn  out  l)y  ])eing  c(nnpelled  throughout  the  day  to 
shout  at  thick-headed  men,  it  is  a  most  agreeable 
work  to  extenuate  offences  and  soothe  anger.  Probably 
the  angry  will  turn  away  muttering  that  we  are  partial ; 
the  other  party  perhaps  thirsts  for  more  sympathy  on 
its  F.ide  ;  but  the  mediator  must  be  prepared  to  receive  a 
rul)  or  two  himself. 

Thinking  that  there  would  l)e  less  (chance  of  the 
Soudanese  storming  so  furiously  against  the  Zanzibaris 
on  tl.e  road,  I  requested  Major  Barttelot  to  keep  his 
Soudanese  a  day's  march  ahead  of  the  Zanzibaris. 

It  will  not  be  surprising  that  we  ^11  felt  more 
sympathy  for  the  loaded  Zanzibaris.  These  formed  our 
scouting  parties,  and  foragers,  and  food  purveyors  ;  they 
pitched  our  tents,  they  collected  fuel,  they  carried  the 
stores  ;  the  main  strength  of  the  Expedition  consisted  of 
them  ;  without  them  the  Europeans  and  Soudanese,  if 
thev  had  ])eeu  ten  times  the  number,  would  have  Ijeen 
of  no  use  at  all  for  the  succour  of  Emin.  The  Soudanese 
carried  nothing  but  their  rifles,  their  clothing,  and  their 
rations.  By  the  time  they  would  be  of  actual  utility  we 
should  be  a  year  older  ;  they  might  perhaps  fail  us  when 
the  hour  of  need  came,  l)ut  we  hoped  not ;  in  the  mean- 
time, all  that  was  necessary  was  to  keep  them  moving  on 
with  as  little  trou])le  as  possi])le  to  themselves,  the 
Zanzibaris,  and  us.  The  Major,  however,  without  doubt 
was  sorely  tempted.  If  he  was  compelled  to  strike 
during  these  days,  I  must  admit  that  the  Soudanese 
were  uncommonly  provoking.  Job  would  have  waxed 
wrathful,  and  become  profane. 

The  heat  was  terrible  the  day  we  left  Lukungu— 
the  10th.  The  men  dropped  down  on  all  sides; 
chiefs  and  men  succum])ed.  We  overtook  the  Soudanese 
again,  and  the  usual  scufHing  and  profanity  occurred  as 
an  unhappy  result. 


EXPEBJEyX'ES   OF   THE  MARCH. 


89 


On  Easter  Monday,  the  lltli,  the  8oiuhuiese  Company 
was  stricken  down  with  fever,  and  hinientation  was 
general,  and  all  but  two  of  the  Somalis  were  prostrated. 
Barttelot  was  in  a  furious  rage  at  his  unhappy  C\)mpany, 
and  expressed  a  wish  that  he  had  l)een  doing  Jephson's 
duty  with  the  boat.  I  received  a  letter  from  Jephson 
in  the  evening,  wherein  he  wrote  that  he  wished  to  be 
with  us,  or  anywhere  rather  than  on  the  treacherous  and 
turbulent  Congo. 

The  following;  dav  saw  a  f()underin<»;  caravan  as  we 
struggled  most  wretchedly  into  camp.  The  Soudanese 
were  miles  from  each  other,  the  Somalis  were  all  ill  ; 
one  of  those  in  the  boat  with  Mr.  Jephson  had  died. 
Liebig,  and  meat  soups,  had  to  be  prepared  in  sufficient 
quantities  to  serve  out  cupfuls  to  each  weakened  man 
as  he  staggered  in. 

Lutete's  was  reached  the  next  day,  and  the  ex- 
periences of  the  mar(;h  were  similar.  We  suffer  losses 
on  every  march — losses  of  men  ])y  desertion,  by  illness, 
of  rifles,  boxes  of  canned  provisions,  and  of  fixed  am- 
munition. 

At  Nselo,  on  the  Inkissi  River,  we  encountered 
Jephson,  who  has  seen  some  novelties  of  life  during 
his  voyage  up  the  Congo  rapids  to  ]\lrnyanga. 

The  sun  has  commenced  to  paint  our  faces  a  vermilion 
tint,  for  I  see  in  each  officer's  face  two  inflamed  circles 
glowing  red  and  ])right  under  each  eye,  and  I  fancy 
the  eyes  flash  with  greater  ])rilliancy.  Some  of  them 
have  thought  it  would  l)e  more  picturescpie,  more  of  the 
ideal  explorer  type,  to  have  their  arms  })ainte(l  also,  and 
have  bared  their  milk-white  arms  until  they  seem 
bathed  in  flame. 

The  IGtli  April  we  employed  in  ferrying  the  Expe- 
dition across  the  Inkissi  River,  and  l)v  5.. '50  P.M.  every 
soul  was  across,  besides  our  twenty  donkeys  and  herd  of 
Cape  goats. 

Durino;  the  ferriage  some  hot  words  were  exchanoed 
between  Salim,  son  of  Massoud,  a  brother-in-law  of 
Tippu-Tib,  and  Mr.  Mounteney  Jephson.  who  is  the 
master    of   the    boat.     Salim,  since  he  has    married    a 


1887. 
April  11. 

Lukungu. 


I 


m 


f 


90 


IX  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


1887. 
April  16. 

Nselo. 


.sister  of  Tippu-Til),  aspires  to  ])e  1)eyon(l  censure ; 
liis  conceit  has  made  him  abominably  insolent.  At 
Mataddi's  he  chose  to  impress  his  views  most  auo- 
gantly  on  Lieutenant  Stairs  ;  and  now  it  is  with  Mr. 
Jephson,  who  briefly  told  him  that  if  he  did  not  mind 
his  own  business  he  would  have  to  toss  him  into  the 
river.  Salini  savagely  resented  this,  until  Tippu-Tib 
appeared  to  ease  his  clioler. 

At  the  next  camp  I  received  some  more  letters  from 
Stanley  Pool.  Lieutenant  Lie])richts,  the  conlmissaire  of 
the  Stanley  Pool  district,  wrote  that  the  steamer  Starilet/ 
would  be  at  my  disposition,  and  also  a  lighter !  The 
En  Avant  would  not  ))e  ready  for  six  weeks.  Another 
was  from  Mr.  Billington,  who  declined  most  positively 
to  lend  the  Ileurj/  Reed. 

One  of  my  m(jst  serious  duties  after  a  march  was  to 
listen  to  all  sorts  of  complaints — a  series  of  them  were 
made  on  this  day.  A  native  rol)bed  by  a  hungry 
Zanzibari  of  a  cassava  loaf  required  restitution  ;  Binza, 
the  goat-herd,  imagined  himself  slighted  because  he  was 
not  allowed  to  participate  in  the  delicacy  of  goat  tripe, 
and  solicited  my  favour  to  obtain  for  him  this  privilege  ; 
a  Zanzibari  weaklino;,  starving;  amidst  a  \vell-rati(3ned 
camp  and  rice-fed  people,  ])egged  me  to  regard  his 
puckered  stomach,  and  do  him  the  justice  to  see  that  he 
received  his  fair  rations  from  his  greedy  chief  Salim, 
Tippu-Tib's  henchman,  complained  that  my  officers  did 
not  admire  him  excessively.  He  said,  "  They  should 
remember  he  no  Queen  man  now  he  Tippu-Ti])'s  brudder- 
in-law  "  (Salim  was  formerly  an  interpreter  on  board  a 
British  cruiser).  And  there  were  charges  of  thefts  of  a 
whinstone,  a  knife,  a  razor,  against  certain  incorrigible 
purloiners. 

At  our  next  camp  on  the  Nkalama  River,  which  we 
reached  on  the  18th  April,  I  received  a  letter  ])y  a 
courier  frcnn  Rev.  ]\Ir.  Bentley,  who  informed  me  that 
no  prcdiibition  had  1)een  received  by  him  from  England 
of  the  loan  of  the  Baptist  mission  steamer  Peace,  and 
that  provided  T  assured  hiin  that  the  Zaiizil)aris  did 
nothing  contrary  to  missionary  character,  which  he  as  a 


-^ 


LETTEliti   FROM  STANLEY  POOL. 


91 


missionary  was  desirous  of  maintainino-,  that  lie  would 
be  most  happy  to  surrender  the  Peace  for  the  service  of 
the  "  Emin  Pasha  Relief  Expedition."  Though  very 
grateful,  and  fully  impressed  with  his  generosity,  in  this 
unnecessary  allusion  to  the  Zanzibaris,  and  to  this  covert 
intimation  that  we  are  responsible  for  their  excesses,  Mr, 
Bentley  has  proved  that  it  must  have  cost  him  a  struggle 
to  grant  the  loan  of  the  Peace.  lie  ought  to  have 
remembered  that  the  privilege  he  obtained  of  building 
his  stations  at  Leopoldville,  Kinshassa,  and  Lukolehi 
was  gained  by  the  labours  of  the  good-natured  Zanzi- 
baris, who  though  sometimes  tempted  to  takie  freedoms, 
were  generally  well  behaved,  so  much  so  that  the 
natives  preferred  them  to  the  Houssas,  Kabindas,  Kru- 
boys,  or  Bangalas. 

On  the  19th  we  were  only  able  to  make  a  short  march, 
as  each  day  witnessed  a  severe  downpour  of  rain,  and 
the  Luila  near  which  we  camped  had  become  dangenmsly 
tur])ulent. 

On  the  20th  we  reached  Makoko's  village.  The 
Zanzibaris  were  observed  to  be  weakening  rapidly.  They 
have  been  compelled  to  live  on  stinted  rations  lately, 
and  their  habit  of  indulging  in  raw  manio<!  is  very 
injurious.  A  pound  of  rice  per  day  is  not  a  large  ration 
for  working  men,  but  if  they  had  contrived  to  be  con- 
tented on  this  scanty  but  wholesome  fare  for  a  while 
they  would  not  be  in  a  robust  condition,  it  is  true,  but 
there  certainlv  would  be  less  illness.  Durinu'  this  march 
from  the  Lower  Congo  we  had  consumed  up  to  date 
27,500  lbs.  of  rice — about  13  tons — so  that  the  resources 
of  the  entire  region  had  been  severelv  taxed  to  obtain 
this  extra  carriaoe.  The  natives  havino-  Hed  from  tlie 
public  paths,  and  our  fear  that  the  Zanzibaris,  if  per- 
mitted to  forage  far  from  the  camp,  would  commit 
depredations,  liavel)een  the  main  cause  of  their  plucking 
up  the  poisonous  manioc  tubers,  an<l  making  themselves 
wrettthedly  sick.  There  were  alxnit  a  hundred  men  on 
this  date  useless  as  soldiers  or  cari'iers. 

Arriving  at  Leopoldville  on  the  21st  to  the  great 
delight   of  all,  one  of  my  tii'st  disc(>veries  was  the  fact 


1887. 
April  18. 

Nkiil.inia 
Kiver. 


r-' 


i. 


92 


IN  DARKEur  AFRICA. 


i 


1887. 
April  21. 

Leopold- 
ville. 


that  the  Sitanlcj/,  a  small  lighter,  our  steel  ])oat  the 
Adramr,  and  the  mission  steamer  Pence  were  the  only 
boats  availal)le  for  the  transport  of  the  Expedition  up 
the  Congo.  I  intrcjduce  the  following  notes  from  my 
diary  : — 

LeopohlviUe,  April  22nd. — We  are  now  345  miles 
from  the  sea  in  view  of  Stanley  Pool,  and  before  us  free 
from  rapids  are  about  1100  miles  of  river  to  Yam])uya 
on  the  Aruwimi  whence  I  propose  resuming  the  land 
journey  to  Laks  Albert. 

Messrs.  Bentley  and  Whitley  called  on  me  to-day. 
AVe  spoke  concerning  the  Peace.  They  said  the  vessel 
required  many  repairs.  I  insisted  that  the  case  was 
urgent.  They  finally  decided  after  long  consultation 
that  the  repairs  could  be  finished  by  the  30tli. 

In  the  afternoon  I  took  Major  Barttelot  and  Mr. 
Mounteney  Jephson  into  my  confidence,  and  related  to 
them  the  difficulties  that  we  were  in,  explained  my 
claims  on  the  consideration  of  the  missionaries  and  the 
urgent  necessity  of  an  early  departure  from  the  foodless 
district,  that  provisions  were  so  scarce  that  the  State 
were  able  to  pro(;ure  only  60  full  rations  for  146  people, 
and  that  to  supply  the  others  the  State  officers  had 
recourse  to  hunting  the  hippopotami  in  the  Pool,  and 
that  we  should  have  to  pursue  the  same  course  to  eke 
out  the  rice.  And  if  60  rations  can  only  be  procured  for 
146  people  by  the  State  authorities,  how  were  we  to 
supply  750  people  I  I  then  directed  them  to  proceed 
to  Mr.  Billington  and  Dr.  Sims,  and  address  themselves 
to  the  former  principally — inasmuch  as  Dr.  Sims  was  an 
unsuccessful  applicant  for  a  position  on  this  Expedition 
— and  explain  matters  fairly  to  him. 

Tliev  were  absent  about  an  hour  and  a  half,  and 
returned  to  me  crestfallen, — they  had  failed.  Poor 
]\Iaj<n' !     Poor  Jephson  ! 

^lonsieur  Liebrichts,  who  had  formerly  served  with 
me  t)n  the  Congo  at  Bolobo,  was  now  the  Governor  of 
the  Stanley  Pool  district.  He  dined  with  me  this 
evening  and  heard  the  story  as  related  by  Major  Barttelot 
and  Mr.  Mounteney  Jephson.     Nothing  was  kept  back 


DIFFICTLTIES  JiKGAJiDIXa   MISSION  STEAMERS. 


03 


from  him.     He  knew  much  of  it  previously.     He  agreed     \axi. 

heartily  with  our  views  oi  thiiios  and  acknowledged  that   ■^'"'''  "^ 
"  •  .I'll 

there  was  great  urgency.    Jephson  said,  "■  I  vote  we  seize     ^'vml/" 

the  llcnn/  Reed.' 

"  No,  my  friend  Jephson.  We  must  not  he  rash. 
AVe  must  give  Mr.  Billington  time  to  consider,  who 
would  assuredlv  understand  how  much  his  mission  was 
indebted  to  me,  and  would  see  no  ditticulty  in  chartering 
his  steamer  at  double  the  price  the  Congo  State  paid  to 
him.  Those  who  subsist  on  the  charitv  of  others 
naturallv  know  how  to  be  charitable.  We  will  trvayain 
to-morrow,  when  I  shall  make  a  more  formal  re(|uisiti()n 
and  offer  liberal  terms,  and  then  if  she  is  not  conceded 
we  must  think  what  had  best  be  done  under  the  cir- 
cumstances. ' 

April  'l'?)r<L — Various  important  matters  were  at- 
tended to  this  morning.  The  natives  from  all  parts  in 
this  nei^hl)oi.rhood  came  to  revive  acquaintance,  ami  it 
was  ten  o'cio('k  before  1  was  at  liberty. 

Ngalyema  was  somewhat  tedious  with  a  long  story 
about  grievances  that  he  had  borne  patiently,  and 
insults  endured  without  plaint.  He  described  the 
change  that  had  come  over  the  white  men,  that  of 
late  they  had  ])ecome  more  imperious  in  their  manner, 
and  he  and  other  chiefs  suspecting  that  the  change 
boded  wo  oood  to  them  had  timidly  absented  them- 
selves  from  the  stations,  the  markets  had  ])een 
abanihjned,  and  consequently  food  had  become  scarce 
and  very  dear. 

Havino-  oiven  my  sympathy  to  my  old  friends  I  called 
Barttelot  and  fFephson  and  read  to  them  a  statement  of 
xirmer  kindnesses  shown  to  the  '  Livingstone  Inland 
Mission.'  "  When  you  have  spoken,  recpiest  in  the  name 
of  charity  and  humanity,  and  all  good  feeling,  that  Mr. 
Billington  allow  me  to  offer  lil)eral  terms  for  the  charter 
of  the  Henry  Ilecd  for  a  period  of  sixty  days. 

Barttelot  was  inspired  to  })elieve  that  his  elo(|uence 
would  prevail,  and  asked  permission  to  try  in  his  way 
once  more. 

"  Very  good,  Major,  go,  and  success  attend  you." 


4 


If  M 

fi  1 


^\ 


\mi 


1 1 


1887. 
Aju-il  2:$. 

Leopold' 
ville. 


04 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


contenting 


"  I'm  sure  I  shall  suceeecl  like  ti  shot,'  said  the  Major 
confidently. 

The  Major  proceeded  to  the  Mission  House,  and  Mr. 
.fej)lison  accompanied  him  as  a  witness  of  the  proceedings. 
Presently  1  received  a  characteristic  note  from  the  Major, 
\v1k)  wrote  that  he  had  argued  ineffectually  with  the 
missionaries,  principally  with  Mr.  Billington,  but  in  the 
presence  of  Dr.  Sims,  who  sat  in  a  chair 
himself  with  uttering  remarks  occasionally. 

Lieutenant  Liebrichts  was  informed  of  the  event, 
and  presented  himself,  saying  that  this  affair  was  the 
duty  of  the  State. 

Monsieur  Liebrichts,  who  is  undou})tedlv  one  of  the 
most  distinojuished  officers  in  the  Congo  State,  and  who 
has  well  maintained  the  high  character  described  in  a 
former  book  of  mine,  devoted  himself  with  ardour  to 
the  task  of  impressing  Mr.  Billington  with  the  irration- 
ality of  his  position,  and  of  his  obstinacy  in  declining 
to  assist  us  out  of  our  difficulties  in  which  we  had  been 
placed  by  the  fault  of  circumstances.  To  and  fro 
throughout  the  day  he  went  demanding,  explaining, 
and  expostulating,  and  finally  after  twelve  hours  pre- 
vailed on  Mr.  Billington  to  accept  a  charter  upon  the 
lil)eral  terms  offered  ;  namely,  £100  per  month. 

April  24:f/i. — Mustered  Expedition  and  discovered  we 
are  short  of  57  men,  and  38  Remington  rifles.  The 
actual  numl)er  now  is  737  men  and  496  riHes.  Of  bill- 
hooks, axes,  shovels,  canteens,  spears,  &c.,  we  have  lost 
over  50  per  cent. — all  in  a  twenty-eight  days'  march. 

Some  of  the  men,  perhaps,  will  return  to  their  duties, 
but  if  such  a  laro;e  number  deserts  3000  miles  from 
their  native  land,  what  might  have  been  expected  had 
we  taken  the  East  Coast  route.  The  Zanzibar  head-men 
tell  me  with  a  cynical  bitterness  that  the  Expedition 
would  have  been  dissolved.  They  say,  "  These  people 
from  the  clove  and  cinnamon  plantations  of  Zanzibar 
are  no  better  than  animals — they  have  no  sense  of 
feeling.  Tli<iy  detest  work,  they  don't  know  what  silver 
is,  and  they  have  no  parents  or  homes.  The  men  who 
have  homes  never  desert,  if  they  did  they  w^culd  be  so 


LIEUT,  LIEBRICHTS  AND  MR.  BILLISGTON. 


Do 


J  Major 

.m\  ]\Tr. 

iedings. 
i  Major, 
ith  the 
■j  in  the 
tenting 

event, 
vas  the 

of  the 
nd  who 
ed  in  a 
Aour  to 
nation - 
eclining 
id  been 
;n(I  fro 
huning, 
irs  pre- 
jon  the 

Bred  we 
The 
)f  bill- 
ve  lost 
irch. 
.luties, 
from 
ed  had 
ad-men 
>edition 
people 
mzibar 
nse  of 
silver 
en  who 
be  so 


laughed  at  bv  their  neif>li])ours  tliat  tliev  could  not 
live."  There  is  a  great  deal  of  truth  in  these  remarks, 
but  in  this  Expedition  are  scores  of  confirmed  bounty- 
jumpers  who  are  only  awaiting  opportunities.  In  in- 
specting the  men  to-day  I  was  of  the  opinion  that  only 
about  150  were  free  men,  and  that  all  the  remainder 
were  either  slaves  or  convicts. 

Mr.  J.  S.  Jameson  has  kindly  volunteered  to  proceed 
to  shoot  hippop(^tami  to  obtain  meat.  We  are  giving 
1  lb.  of  rice  to  each  man — ^just  half  rations.  For  the 
officers  and  our  Arab  guests  I  have  a  Hock  of  goats, 
about  tliirt}'  in  number.  The  food  presents  from  the 
various  chiefs  around  have  amounted  to  500  men's 
rations  and  have  been  very  acceptable. 

Capt.  Nelson  is  busy  w^th  the  axemen  preparing  fuel 
for  the  steamers.  The  Stanlej/  must  depart  to-morrow 
with  Major  Barttelot  and  Surgeon  Parke's  companies, 
and  debark  them  at  a  place  above  the  Wampoko,  when 
they  will  then  march  to  Mswata.  I  must  avail  myself 
of  every  means  of  leaving  Stanley  Pool  before  we  shall 
be  so  pinched  by  hunger  that  the  men  will  become  un- 
controllable. 

April  25t/i. — The  steamer  Stanley,  steamed  up  river 
with  153  men  under  Major  Barttelot  and  Surgeon 
Parke. 

I  paid  a  visit  to  Kinshassa  to  see  my  ancient  secretary, 
Mr.  Swinburne,  who  is  now  manager  of  an  Ivorv  Tradin<j 
Company,  called  the  "  Sanford  Exploring  Company." 
The  hull  of  his  steamer.  Florid (t,  being  completed,  he 
suggested  that  if  we  assisted  him  to  launch  her  he 
would  be  pleased  to  lend  lier'to  the  Expedition,  since  she 
was  of  no  use  to  anybodv  until  her  machiiiew  and  shaft 
came  up  with  Baron  von  Rothkirch,  who  proba])ly  would 
not  arrive  before  the  end  of  July.  I  was  only  too  glad, 
and  a  number  of  men  were  at  once  ordered  up  to  begin 
the  operations  of  extending  the  slip  to  the  river's  edge. 

Our  engineer,  Mr.  John  Walker,  was  detailed  for 
service  on  the  Henri/  Reed^  to  clean  her  up  and  prepare 
her  for  the  Upper  Congo. 

One  Soudanese  and  one  Zanzibari  died  to-day. 


1887. 
April  'J4. 

Leopold* 
ville. 


tm 


or, 


IX  DAllKEST  AFRICA. 


1  I 


1887.  .-I///'//  '17fli.-  Tliirtoi'ii  Zanzil)iiriH  antl  one  Soudanese, 

Ainii  27    j,£    those    left    l)ehiiul  from    illness,    at  stations  on  the 
ins  assa.  ^^.^^^,  \\i\y{}  uM'ived.     Tlicy  report  havino;  sold  their  ritteH 
and  sapper's  tools  ! 

Ajn'il  2Hf/i.-~  Struck  C)  ind  marched   Expedition 

overland  to  Kinshassa  that  1  might  personally  super- 
intend launching  of  hull  of  steamer,  Florida,  which  we 
ho{)e  to  do  the  (hiy  after  to-moiTow,  when  the  ship  is 
finished.      We  are  heing  hospitably  entertained  mean- 


LAUNCHING   THE   STEAMEB  "FLORIDA.' 


while  by  Mr.  Antoine  Oreshoft",  of  the  Dutch  Company, 
and  Mr.  Swinburne  of  the  San  ford  Company. 

Api-ll  20fh. — In  camp  at  Kinshassa  under  the  baobabs. 
The  steamers  Stanley  and  Henry  Heed,  towing- barge 
Kn  Avant  arrived. 

April  'iOth. — The  hull  of  the  Florida  was  launched 
this  morning.  Two  hundred  men  pulled  her  steadily 
over  the  extended  slip  into  the  river.  She  was  then 
taken  to  the  landing-place  of  the  Dutch  Company  and 
fastened  to  the  steamer  Stanley. 


OliDEIiS   ISSUED    TO    Tilt:   oFtK'KliS. 


\)\ 


Eticli  ofticer  whs  furnished  with  the  phiii  of  enibarka-     \mr. 
tioii,  and  directed  to  begin  work  of  loading  the  steamers  _.'^'"^''  ''**• 
according  to  programme. 

The  following;  orders  were  also  issued  : — 


Kinshassa. 


The  Officers  commanding  companies  in  this  Expedition  arc— 


E.  M.  Barttelot 

W.  G.  Stairs  . 

R.  H.  Nelson  . 

A.  J.  Mountcney  Jephson 

J.  S.  Jameson 

Jolm  Rose  Tronp    . 

T.H.  Parke    . 


Company 

No.  1, 

Sondanese. 

1] 

2, 

Zanzibaris. 

3 
4 
5 

» 

Major  . 
Captain 


M  •  •  J>         O  ,, 

Captain  and  Surgeon  „    7,  Somalis  and 

Zanzibar  is. 


j\Ir.  William  Bonny  takes  charge  of  transjiort  and  riding  animals  and 
live  stock,  and  a.'-sists  Surgeon  Parke  when  necessary. 

"Each  officer  is  personally  responsible  for  the  good 
behaviour  of  his  company  and  the  condition  of  arms  and 
accoutrements." 

'•  (Officers  will  inspect  frctjuently  cartridge-pouches  of 
their  men,  and  keep  record  to  prevent  sale  of  ammu- 
nition to  natives  or  Aral)s." 

"For  trivial  otfenccs  — a  slight  corporal  punishment 
only  can  be  inflicted,  and  this  as  seldom  as  possi])!e. 
( )tHcers  will  exercise  discretion  in  this  matter,  and  en- 
deavour to  avoid  irritating  the  men,  bv  beino-  too 
exacting,  or  showing  unnecessary  fussiness." 

"It  has  been  usual  for  me  to  be  greatly  forbear- 
ing— let  the  rule  be,  three  pardons  for  one  punish- 
ment." 

"Officers  will  please  remember  that  the  lal)our  of  the 
men  is  severe,  their  burdens  are  heavy,  the  climate  hot, 
the  marches  fcitiguing,  and  the  rations  poor  and  often 
scanty.  Under  such  conditions  human  nature  is  ex- 
tremely susceptible,  therefore  punishments  should  be 
judicious,  not  vexatious,  to  prevent  straining  patience 
too  much.  Nevertheless  discipline  must  be  taught, 
and  when  necessary  enforced  for  the  general  well- 
being." 

"  Serious  offences  affecting  the  Expedition  generally 
will  be  dealt  with  by  me." 

VOL.    I.  H 


\^ 


!■  ;■ 


'd\ 


98 


IN  DAJiKEST  A  Fine  A. 


1887. 
April  :iU. 


'*  While  on  8liip])oard  one  officer  will  be  detailed  to 
perform  the  duties  o'  the  day.  He  must  see  to  the  dis- 
tribution of  rations,  ship  cleaned,  and  that  no  fighting 
or  wrangling  occurs,  as  knifing  soon  follows  unless 
checked,  that  the  animals  arc  fed  and  watered  regularly. 
For  all  petty  details  apply  to  the  senior  officer.  Major 
Barttelot." 


I 


'h.  I 


CHAPTER  V. 


FROM   STANLEY   POOL   TO   YAMBUYA. 


Upper  Congo  scenery —Accident  to  the  Peace — Steamers  reach  Kimpoko 
— Collecting  fuel — The  gc^d-for-nothing  I'eare — The  Stanley  in 
trouble — Arrival  at  Bolobo  -Tho  Relief  Exi)edition  arranged  in  two 
columns— Major  Barttelot  and  Mr.  Jameson  chosen  for  conunand  of 
Eear  Column — Arrival  at  Erpiator  and  IJangala  Stations — The 
Biisoko  villages:  Baruti  deserts  us — Arrival  at  Yamlmya. 


1887. 
May  1. 

Upper 


As  I  luue  already  expatiated  at  large  upon  the  descrip- 
tion of  scenes  of  the  Upper  Congo,  1  intend  to  expunge 
altogether  any  impressions  made  on  us  according  to  our  ^'°°S" 
varying  moods  during  our  river  voyage  of  about  1100 
miles  to  Yambuya.  I  will  confine  myself  to  the  in- 
cidents. 

The  days  passed  quickly  enough.  Their  earlier  hours 
presented  to  us  every  morning  panoramas  of  f(jrest-land, 
and  mvriads  of  forest  isles,  and  br(^ad  channels  of  dead 
calm  water  so  beshone  l)y  the  sun  that  they  resembled 
rivers  of  quicksilver.  In  general  one  might  well  have 
said  that  they  were  exceedingly  monotonous,  that  is  if  the 
traveller  was  moving  upward  day  l)y  day  past  the  same 
scenes  from  such  a  distance  as  to  lose  perception  of  the 
details.  But  we  skirted  one  bank  or  the  other,  or 
steered  close  to  an  island  to  avail  ourselves  of  the  deep 
water,  and  therefore  were  saved  from  the  tedium  of  the 
monotony. 

Seated  in  an  easy-chair  scarcely  40  feet  from  the 
shore,  every  revolution  of  the  propeller  caused  us  to  see 
new  features  of  foliage,  bank,  trees,  shrubs,  plants,  buds 
and  blossoms.  We  might  be  indifferent  to,  or  ignorant 
of  the  character  and  virtues  of  the  several  plants  and 
N'aried  vegetation  we  saw,  we  might  have  no  interest  in 


if 


100 


IN  DARKEST  AFlilCA. 


1887. 
May  1. 

Upper 
Congo 


any  portion  of  the  shore,  but  we  certainly  forgot  the 
lapse  of  time  while  observing  the  outward  forms,  and 
were  often  kindled  into  livelier  interest  whenever  an 
inhabitant  of  the  air  or  of  the  water  appeared  in  the 
field  of  vision.  These  delightful  views  of  perfectly 
culm  waters,  and  vivid  green  forests  with  every  sprig 
and  leaf  still  as  death,  and  almost  unbroken  front  line 
of  thick  leafy  l)ush  sprinkled  with  butterflies  and  moths 
and  insects,  and  wide  rivers  of  shining  water,  will  remain 
longer  in  our  minds   than    the   stormy  aspects  which 


STAXLKY    ri)()L 


disturbed  the  ex(juisite  repose  of  nature  almost  every 
afternoon. 

From  the  middle  of  ^larch  to  the  mi(hlle  of  May 
was  the  rainy  season,  and  daily,  soon  after  2  r.M., 
the  sky  l»etokened  the  approach  of  a  lowering  tempest ; 
the  sun  was  liidden  by  the  dark  portents  of  storms,  and 
soon  after  the  thunderbolts  rent  the  gloom,  lightning 
blazed  through  it,  the  rain  })ou)'ed  with  tropical  copious- 
ness, {tnd  general  misery  prevailed  and  the  darkness  of 
the  niglit  followed. 

Nature  and  time  were  at  their  best  for  us.  The  river 
was  neither  too  high  n(»r  too  low.     Were  it  the  former 


VPl'EIl    CONGO   SCENEBY 


101 


we  should  have  had  the  difficulty  of  fiii«''"iig  uniiuiiidated 
ground;  had  it  been  the  latter  we  should  have  l)een 
tediously  delayed  by  the  shallows.  We  were  permitted 
to  steer  generally  alwut  40  yards  from  the  left  hank, 
and  to  enjoy  without  interruption  over  1000  miles  of 
changing  hues  and  forms  of  vegetable  life,  wliich  for 
their  variety,  greenness  of  verdure,  and  wealth  and  scent 
of  flowers,  the  world  cann<it  eipud.  Tornadoes  were  rare 
during  the  greater  portion  of  the  day,  whereby  we  escaj)ed 
many  terrors  and  perils  ;  they  occurred  in  the  evening 
or  the  night  oftener,  when  we  should  be  safelv  moored  to 
the  shore.  Mosquitoes,  gadflies,  tsetse  and  gnats  were 
not  so  vicious  as  formerly.  Far  more  than  half  the  jour- 
ney was  completed  l)efoi'e  we  were  reminded  of  their 
existence  by  a  few  incorrigible  vagrants  of  each  species. 
The  pugnacious  hippopotami  and  crocodiles  were  on  this 
occasion  well-behaved.  The  aborigines  were  modest  in 
their  expectations,  and  in  many  instances  they  gave 
goats,  fowls,  and  eggs,  l)ananas  and  plantains,  and 
were  content  with  "  chits  "  on  Mr.  John  Rose  Troup, 
who  would  follow  us  later.  (Jur  health  was  excellent, 
indeed  remarkably  good,  compared  with  former  erqie- 
riences ;  whether  the  English  were  ])etter  adapted  phy- 
sically, or  whether  they  declined  to  yield,  I  know  not, 
but  I  had  fewer  complaints  on  this  than  on  any  previous 
expedition. 

On  the  1st  of  May  the  start  up  the  Congo  was  com- 
menced with  the  departure  of  the  Jhniri/  Jtn'd  and  two 
l)arges,  witli  Tippu-Tib  and  DG  followers  and  35  of 
our  men.  Soon  after  her  followed  tlie  Staiilet/  and  her 
consort  t\\e  Florid  a,  \\'\t\\  336  people,  besides  G  donkeys, 
and  cargoes  of  goods  ;  and  lialf-an-hour  later  tlie 
Peace  attempted  to  follow,  with  135  passengers  on 
board;  but  the  good  wishes  of  the  people  on  sh(»re  had 
scarcely  died  away,  and  we  were  l)reasting  the  ra{)id 
current,  when  her  rudder  snapped  in  two.  Her  oa])tain 
commanded  the  anchors  to  bo  di'opped,  which  ha})])ened 
to  be  over  exceedinjilv  ruowd  oround  where  the  cui-rent 
was  racing  six  knots.  The  boat  reeled  to  her  beam  ends, 
the  chains  tore  her  deck,  and  as  the  anchors  could  not 


1887. 
M;.y  1. 

Upjier 
Congo. 


lifi 


r    i!: 


^ii  I  it; 


!! 


1887. 
May  1. 

Upper 
Congo. 


102 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


be  lifted,  being  foul  among  the  rocks  below,  we  had  to 
cut  ourselves  loose  and  to  return  to  Kinshassa  landing- 
place.  Captain  Whitley  and  Mr.  David  Charters  the 
engineer  set  to  to  repair  the  rudder,  and  at  8  p.m.  their 
task  was  completed. 

The  next  morning  we  had  better  fortune,  and  in  due 
time  we  reached  Kimpoko  at  the  head  of  the  Pool,  where 
the  other  steamers  awaited  us. 

The  P"aci'  led  the  advance  up  river  on  the  3rd  ;  but 
the  Stanley  drew  up,  passed  us,  and  readied  camp  an 
hour  and  a  half  ahead  of  us.  The  Henry  Reed  was  last 
because  of  want  of  judgment  on  the  part  of  her  captain. 

The  Peace  was  spasmodic.  She  steamed  well  for  a 
short  time,  then  suddenly  slackened  speed.  We  waited 
half  an  hour  for  another  spurt.  Her  boiler  was  a  system 
of  coiled  tul)es,  and  her  propellers  were  enclosed  in  twin 
cylindrical  shells  under  the  stern,  and  required  to  be 
driven  at  a  furious  rate  before  any  speed  could  be 
obtained.     She  will  probably  give  us  great  trou])le. 

As  soon  as  we  camped,  which  we  generally  did  about 
5  P.M.,  each  officer  mustered  his  men,  for  wood  cutting 
for  the  morrow's  fuel.  This  was  sometimes  very  hard 
work,  and  continued  for  hours  into  the  night.  The 
wood  of  dead  trees  required  to  be  sought  by  a  num])er  of 
men  and  conveyed  to  the  landing-place  for  the  cutters. 
For  such  a  steamer  as  the  Stanley  it  would  require  fifty 
men  to  search  for  and  carry  wood  for  (juite  two  hours  ; 
it  would  require  a  dozen  axemen  to  cut  it  up  into  30-incli 
lengths  for  the  urates.  The  Pear.e  and  llenrri  Reed  re- 
quired  half  as  many  axes  and  an  equal  amount  of  time  to 
prepare  their  fuel.  It  must  then  be  stored  on  board  the 
steamers  that  no  delay  might  take  place  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  this  recpiired  some  more  work  before  silence, 
which  befits  the  night,  could  be  obtained,  and  in  tlie 
meantime  the  tires  were  blazing  to  afford  light,  and  the 
noise  of  crashing,  cutting,  and  splitting  of  logs  continued 
merrily. 

The  good-for-nothing  Peace  continued  to  provoke 
us  on  the  4th  May.  She  was  certainly  one  of  the 
slowest    steamers   any    shipbuilder   could    build.       We 


THE  STEAMERS  ''PEACE''      AND   "STANLEY."        103 


had  to 
.nding- 
jrs  the 
I.  their 

in  due 
,  where 

d  ;  but 
mp  an 
vas  hist 
;aptain. 
1  for  a 
waited 
system 
in  twin 
.  to  he 
>uld  be 
le. 

I  about 
cutting 
y  hard 
The 
nber  of 
utters, 
e  lifty 
lours  ; 
?0-inch 
ccd  re- 
ime  to 
rd  the 
niorn- 
silence, 
in  the 
nd  the 
tinned 

Drovoke 

..f  tlie 

We 


halted    every   forty-five    minutes    or  so    to    "  oil    up,"     i887. 
and  sometimes  had  to  halt  to  clear  out  the  cylinders  of    *^"^  ** 
the  propellers,  had  to  stop  to  raise  steam,  to  have  the    collgo. 
grate  cleared  out  of  charcoal,  while  five  minutes  after 
raising  steam  up  to  60^,  she  fell  to  40°,  and  then  l^5°,  and 
the  poor  miserable  thing  floated  down  stream  at  the  rate 
of  a  knot  an  hour.     We  lost  seven  days  at  Stanley  Pool 
through  her  ;  a  day  was  lost  when  the  rudder  broke ; 
we  were  fated  to  be  belated. 

The  next  day,  the  5th,  we  made  fast  to  the  landing- 
place  of  Mswata.  The  Major  and  Dr.  Parke  had  arrived 
four  days  previously.  They  had  prepared  quantities  of 
fuel,  and  had  purchased  a  large  pile  of  provisions — 
loaves  of  bread  from  the  manioc  root  and  Indian 
corn. 

On  the  6th  the  Major  and  his  companions  received 
orders  to  march  their  men  to  Kwamouth,  and  await  the 
steamer.  The  Staitkf/  was  ordered  to  proceed  to  Bolobo, 
debark  her  passengers,  and  descend  to  Kwamouth  .to 
convey  Barttelot  and  men,  while  we  reorganized  com- 
panies at  Bolo])o. 

On  the  7 til  we  observed  the  Stanlei/  steamer  ashore 
on  the  left  bank  near  Chuml)iri,  and  proceeding  to  her 
to  inquire  into  the  delay  discovered  that  she  was  badly 
injured  by  running  on  a  rocky  reef.  The  second  section 
had  l)een  pierced  in  four  separate  places  and  several 
rivets  knocked  out  and  others  h^osened.  We  therefore 
set  to  with  the  engineers  of  all  the  other  steamers  to 
repair  her,  but  Messrs.  Charters  and  Walker,  both 
Scotchmen,  were  the  most  effective  at  the  repairs.  We 
cut  up  some  old  sheet  iron  oil  drums,  fonned  plates  of 
them,  and  screwed  tliem  in  from  the  outside.  This  was 
a  very  delicate  labour,  rcijuiring  patience  and  nicety  of 
tt)uch,  as  tliere  were  two  feet  of  water  in  the  hold,  and 
the  screws  re(|uired  to  be  felt  to  place  the  nuts  on,  as 
well  as  the  punching  of  holes  through  the  bottom  of  the 
steamer.  The  engineer  was  up  to  his  waist  in  water,  and 
striking  his  chisel  through  an  element  that  broke  the  blow, 
then  there  was  the  preparation  of  the  plate  to  correspond 
with   the  holes  in  the  steamer,  spreading  the  minium. 


if 


104 


IN  DARKEST  AFBTCA. 


I  % 


1887. 
May  7. 

Ul)per 
Congo. 


i  !^ 


i: 


I       ! 


I    i: 


V     i 


!  ji 


then  a  layer  of  canvas,  and  another  layer  of  minium. 
When  everything  was  ready  for  fixing  the  iron  plate,  a 
diver  was  sent  down,  the  iron  plate  with  its  canvas  patch 
and  minium  layers  in  one  hand,  and  the  end  of  a  string 
attached  to  a  hole  in  the  plate  in  the  other  hand.  The 
diver  outside  had  to  feel  for  the  corresponding  hole  in 
the  steamer,  and  the  engineer  up  to  his  hips  in  water 
within  the  hold  felt  for  the  end  of  the  twine,  which 
when  found,  was  drawn  in  gently,  and  the  plate  carefully 
guided,  or  the  bolt  was  slipped  in,  and  the  engineer  placed 
the  nut  on.  For  hours  this  tedious  work  went  on,  and 
by  evening  of  the  7th,  one  large  rent  in  the  steel 
hull  had  been  repaired ;  the  8th  and  9th  were 
passed  before  the  steamer  was  able  to  continue  her 
voyage. 

On  the  10th  the  Stanh\f/  caught  the  asthmatic  Peace 
up,  and  passed  us  in  company  with  the  llennj  Reed. 
A  few  hours  later  the  Peace  sulked  altogether,  and 
declined  to  proceed.  C)nly  30  11  )s.  steam  could  ])e 
maintained.  We  were  therefn-e  compelled  to  make  fast 
to  the  shore.  At  this  period  j\Ir.  Charters'  face  possessed 
more  interest  than  anything  else  in  the  world.  We 
hung  on  his  words  as  though  they  were  decrees  of  Fate. 
He  was  a  sanguine  and  cheerful  little  man,  and  he 
comforted  us  exceedin;]i:lv.  He  was  sure  we  would  arrive 
in  Bolol^o  in  good  time,  though  we  did  not  appear  to  be 
proceeding  very  rapidly  while  tied  to  the  shore. 

The  next  dav  we  tried  aoain  startino-  at  4  a.m., 
resolved  to  distinguish  ourselves.  For  an  hour  the 
Peace  behaved  nol)ly,  l)ut  finally  she  showed  symptoms 
of  relapse.  The  steam  descended  lower  and  lower,  and 
could  not  retain  5  ll)s.,  and  we  therefore  cast  anchor.  At 
10  A.M.  the  case  appearing  hopeless,  I  despatched  Mr. 
Ward  in  the  whale  l)oat  to  ()])tain  assistance  from  the 
Jlenri/  Jieed,  and  at  eight  at  night  she  appeared  and 
anchored  sixty  yards  from  us,  and  all  the  day  we  had 
been  idly  watching  the  dark  l»rown  current  How  l)y, 
anchored  in  mid-stream  at  least  500  yards  from  either 
shore  or  island,  seeing  notliing  but  hippopotami,  grassy 
clumps,  weeds,  and  debris  of  woods   floating  by.     On 


DECISION  AS    TO    COMMAND    OF  HEAR    COLUMN.       105 


the  12tli  we  arrived  ignominiously  at  Bolobu  iii  tuw  of     i887. 
the  Henry  Feed.  ^^  l^^' 

When  the  traveller  reaches  Uyanzi  such  a  thing  as  congo. 
famine  is  scarcely  possible,  and  one  of  the  best  river 
ports  for  al)undance  and  variety  of  food  is  Bolobo. 
Here,  then,  after  reaching  a  district  where  the  people 
could  recuperate  and  forget  the  miseries  of  limited 
rations  endured  since  leaving  Lukungu,  was  the  place  to 
form  the  Relief  Expedition  into  two  colunms. 

It  was  decided  that  as  the  force  could  not  l)e  trans- 
ported on  one  voyage  to  the  Upper  Congo,  that  the 
healthiest  men  should  be  selected  to  proceed  t<^  Yaml)uya, 
and  that  the  weakly  should  remain  in  B(dol)o  as  a 
portion  of  Major  Barttelot's  column  under  Messrs,  Her- 
bert Ward,  and  William  Bonny,  until  the  Sf<in/'-  / 
should  return  from  Yambuya.  We  had  started  frojii 
England  with  the  cry  of  ''  urgency "  in  our  ears  and 
memories,  and  it  behoved  us  t(^  speed  on  as  well  as 
circumstances  would  permit  in  obedience  t<j  the  necessity, 
trusting  that  the  rear  column  would  ])e  able  to  follow 
on  our  tracks  some  six  or  nexen  weeks  later. 

We  accordingly  selecte<l  125  men  who  appeared 
weakest  in  body,  and  left  them  at  Bolobo  to  fatten  up 
on  the  bananas  and  excellent  native  bread  and  fish  that 
were  easily  procurable  here.  The  Sf(nil<')/  in  the  mean- 
time had  descended  to  Kwamouth  with  ^lajor  Barttelot, 
Dr.  Parke,  and  153  men. 

The  vexed  question  was  also  settled  here  as  to  who 
should  take  charoe  of  the  rear  column.  It  l)eini>'  the 
most  important  post  next  to  mine,  all  eyes  were  natu- 
rally directed  to  the  senior  officer,  Major  Barttelot.  It 
was  said  that  he  had  led  a  column  of  a  thousand  men  from 
Kosseir  on  the  Eed  Sea  to  Keneli  on  the  Nile,  and  that 
he  had  distinguished  himself  in  Afo'lianistan  and  in  the 
Soudan  Campaign.  If  these  facts  were  true,  tlien  un- 
doubtedly he  was  the  fittest  otfic(M"  for  the  office  of 
commanding  the  rear  column.  Had  there  l)eeu  a  person 
of  equal  rank  with  him,  I  should  certainly  have  dele- 
gated this  charge  to  another,  not  because  of  any  kno^v^l 
unfitness,  l»ut  l)ecause  he  was  so  eager  to  acc(>nq)any  the 


W 


106 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


1887. 
May  12 

Upper 
Congo. 


I   : 


3  lyKiiM 


advance  column.  On  reflecting  on  the  capacities  and 
rank  of  the  other  gentlemen,  and  their  eaoerness  being 
too  well  known  to  me,  I  informed  the  Major  that  I  could 
not  really  undertake  the  responsibility  of  appointing 
youthful  lieutenants  to  fill  a  post  that  devolved  on  him 
by  rank,  experience,  and  reputation. 

"  One  more  steamer  like  the  Stanlej/  would  have 
done  it,  Major,  completely,"  I  said,  cheerfully,  for 
the  young  officer  was  sorely  depressed.  "Only  125 
men  and  a  cargo  of  goods  left  of  the  Expedition.  All 
the  rest  are  on  board  comfortably.  If  you  can  discover 
some  better  person  than  yourself  to  take  your  place 
l)etween  here  and  Yambuya,  I  would  gladly  know  him. 
I  hope  you  will  not  take  it  too  much  to  heart.  For 
what  does  it  matter  after  all  ?  You  who  bring  up  the 
rear  are  as  much  entitled  to  credit  as  we  in  the  advance. 
If  Tippu-Til)  will  only  be  faithful,  you  will  only  be  six 
weeks  behind  us,  and  you  may  overtake  us,  for  we  shall 
be  naturally  delayed  a  great  deal,  finding  the  track  and 
boring  our  way  through  all  kinds  of  obstacles.  You 
will  follow  an  indicated  path,  and  fre(|uently  you  may 
be  able  to  make  two  of  our  marches  in  one  day.  If 
Tippu-Tib  does  not  join  us,  you  will  be  master  of  your 
own  column,  and  you  will  be  so  occupied  with  your  task 
that  the  days  will  slip  by  you  fast  enough.  And  I  tell 
you  another  thing  for  your  comfort,  Major ;  there  is 
plenty  of  work  ahead  of  us,  wherein  you  shall  have  the 
most  important  part.  Now  tell  me,  who  would  you 
wish  for  ycjur  second  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  would  rather  leave  it  to  you." 

"  Nay,  I  would  prefer  you  would  select  some  one  friend 
as  your  companion,  to  share  your  hopes  and  thoughts. 
We  all  of  us  have  our  partialities,  you  know." 

"  Well,  then,  I  choose  Jameson." 

"  Very  well,  Mr.  Jameson  shall  be  appointed.  I  will 
speak  to  him  myself  I  will  then  leave  JNIr.  Rose  Troup, 
who  is  a  capital  fellow,  I  have  reason  to  Ijelieve,  and 
young  Ward  and  Bonny.  Both  Troup  and  Ward  speak 
Swahili,  and  they  will  be  of  vast  service  to  you." 

In  this  manner  the  matter  was  arranged,  and  on  the 


WE  BEACH  BANG  ALA    STATION. 


107 


15t'.i  of  ]\Iay  the  flotilla  resumed  tlie  up-river  voyage, 
C(mveying  511  persons  of  the  Expedition,  and  Tippu- 
Tib  and  ninety  of  his  followers. 

We  made  a  fair  journey  on  the  IGth,  the  repairs  on 
the  Peace  having  greatly  improved  hci  rate  of  progress, 
and  on  the  19tli  made  fast  to  the  shore  near  the  Baptist 
Mission  of  Lukolela,  though  the  Stanley  did  not  make 
her  appearance  until  late  on  the  19th. 

We  halted  on  the  20th  at  Lukolela,  to  purchase  food 
for  our  journey  to  Equator  Station,  and  we  were 
extremely  grateful  for  the  kind  hospitality  shown  to  us 
by  the  missionaries  at  this  station. 

On  the  24th  of  May  we  arrived  at  Equator  Station, 
now  owned  by  the  Sanford  Company,  which  was  repre- 
sented by  Mr.  E.  J.  Glave,  a  young  and  clever  York- 
shireman.  Captain  Van  Gele  was  also  here,  with  five 
Houssa  soldiers  lately  returned  from  a  futile  effort  to  as- 
cend the  Mobangi  higher  than  Mr.  Grenfell,  the  missi<jn- 
ary,  had  succeeded  in  doing  some  months  previously. 

We  reached  Bangala  Station  on  the  30th  May.  This 
place  was  now  a  very  large  and  prosperous  settlement. 
There  was  a  garrison  of  sixty  men  and  two  Krupps,  for 
defence.  Bricks  were  made,  of  excellent  (][uality  ;  40,000 
had  already  been  manufactured.  The  establishment  was 
in  every  way  very  creditable  to  Central  Africa.  The 
chief,  Van  Kirkhoven,  was  al)sent  at  Langa-Langa.  He 
had  lately  succeeded  in  releasing  twenty-nine  Iloussa 
soldiers  from  slavery.  During  the  escape  ofDeane  from 
Stanley  Falls,  these  Houssas  had  precipitately  retreated 
into  a  canoe,  and  had  floated  as  far  as  Upoto  when  they 
were  captured  as  runaways  by  the  natives  of  the  district. 

Among  other  good  qiialities  of  Bangala,  there  is  a 
never-failing  supply  of  food.  The  station  possessed 
130  goats  and  a  couple  of  hundred  fowls,  which  supplied 
the  officers  with  fresh  eoffs.  Ten  acres  were  c;reen  with 
a  promising  rice  crop.  The  officers  enjoyed  wine  of  palm 
and  banana,  and  fermented  beer  made  of  sugar-cane, 
and  exceedingly  potent  I  found  the  latter  to  be. 

At  Bangala  I  instructed  Major  Barttelot  to  proceed 
wdth  Tippu-Tib  and  party  direct  to  Stanley  Falls,  having 


1887. 
May  15. 

Upjier 
Congo. 


,4 


ii 


i , 


1887. 
Way  30. 

Upper 
Congo. 


1U8 


IN  DARKEST  AFIilCA. 


first  taken  out  thirty-five  Zanzi])aris  from  the  ])oat.s,  and 
rephiced  them  with  forty  Soiuhmese,  that  none  of  the 
Zanziharis  niiyht  become  a('(|uainte(l  with  the  fact  that 
Stanley  Falls  was  hut  a  few  days'  march  from  Yambuya. 

«j'  t/  •> 

With  the  exception  of  certain  irregularities  in  the 
behaviour  of  the  steamer  Sftnilet/,  which  l)y  some 
niNsterious  manoeuvres  disappeared  amid  intricate 
passages,  on  the  plea  that  sufficient  fuel  of  a  right 
quality  could  be  found,  we  steameil  up  to  the  Aruwimi 
River  without  any  incident,  and  arrived  at  our  ancient 
camp,  opposite  the  Basoko  villages,  on  June  12th. 

The  Basokcj  were  the  countrymen  of  Baruti,  or 
*'  Gunpowder,"  who  had  been  captured  by  Karema  when 
a  child,  in  1883,  and  had  l>een  taken  to  England  by  8ir 
Francis  de  AVinton,  with  a  view  of  impressing  on  him 
the  superiority  of  civilized  customs.  Fr(mi  Sir  Francis' 
care  Baruti  passed  into  mine,  and  here  we  were  at  last 
in  view  of  his  natal  village  and  tribe,  from  which  he  had 
been  absent  six  years. 

Seeing  Baruti  eyeing  with  excessive  interest  the  place 
of  his  birth,  he  was  encouraged  by  me  to  hail  the 
Basoko,  and  invite  them  to  visit  us.  My  previous 
attempts  at  winning  the  confidence  of  these  forest 
natives  had  l)een  failures,  though  in  time  I  was  sure 
there  would  be  no  ditticulty.  For  a  long  period  it  had 
been  an  interestino-  (luestion  to  me  why  aborioines  of 
the  forest  were  more  intractable  and  coy  than  natives  of 
the  open  country.  The  same  methods  had  been  applied, 
the  danolinu"  of  some  briuht  or  oaudv  article  of  barter, 
the  strings  of  beads  of  dazzling  colour,  suspended 
patiently,  the  artful  speech,  the  alluring  smile  and 
gesture,  all  were  resorted  to  for  long  hours,  but  always 
ending  with  disappointment  and  postponement  to  a 
more  leisurely  occasion.  But  the  reason  is  that  the 
forest  has  been  always  a  handy  fastness  for  retreat, 
the  suspicion  of  the  stranger,  and  the  convenient  depth 
of  trackless  woods  plead  strongly  against  some  indefinite 
risk.  The  least  advance  causes  a  precipitate  l)ackw^ard 
movement  until  he  gains  the  limits  of  the  forest,  anci 
then  he  stands  to  take  a  last  survey,  and  finally  dis- 


MY  BLACK  BOY  BARUTI  AND    I/IS   BROTHER. 


109 


ta,  and 
of  the 
?t  that 
nl)uya. 
in  the 
some 
itricate 
I  right 
ruwimi 
ancient 

uti,    or 

a  when 

l)y  Sir 

)n  him 

^'rancis' 

at  hist 

he  had 

le  pLnce 
lail  the 
revious 
forest 
as  sure 
it  had 
nies  of 
ives  of 
oplied, 
)arter, 
tended 
e    and 
always 
t   to    a 
at   the 
retreat, 
depth 
ilefinite 
ekward 
st,  and 
lly  dis- 


appears into  the  gh)om  with  an  air  of  "  It  won't  (h),  you 
know  ;  you  can't  come  over  me."  Wliereas  in  the  open 
country  the  native  has  generally  some  coign  of  vantage, 
some  eminence,  a  tree  or  an  ant-hill,  from  the  crest  of 
which  he  has  taken  his  (observations,  and  been  warned 
and  informed  of  the  character  of  the  strangers,  in  the 
forest  the  stranger  meets  the  tenant  of  the  woods 
abruptly  ;  he  has  advanced  out  of  the    unknown,  with 


1887. 
June  12. 

Uj^er 
Congo. 


BAUUTI   FINDS  HIS  BROTHEB, 


purpose  unfathomed.     Surprise  is  in    the  face  of  one, 
terror  marks  the  face  of  the  other. 

Baruti  hailed,  and  the  canoes  advanced  towards  us 
with  a  tediously  slow  process,  but  finally  they  ap- 
proached within  easy  hearing.  He  recognized  some  (jf 
the  canoe-men,  and  informed  them  that  they  had  no 
cause  for  fear.  He  asked  for  a  person  whose  name  he 
uttered,  and  the  wild  men  hallooed  the  word  with 
splendid  lung-power  across  the  river,  until  some  one 
resp(jnded,  and  eml)arked  in  a  canoe  an<l  approached. 
This  turned  out  to  be  Baruti's  elder  brother.     Baruti 


110 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


^ 


ill 


ll« 


1ii 


1887. 
June  12. 

Upper 
Congo. 


demanded  to  know  1k)\v  his  ln-otlier  fared,  after  so  many 
years  of  absence.  The  l)rother  eyed  him  vacantly,  couhl 
not  recognize  any  feature  in  him,  and  grunted  his  doubt. 

Baruti  mentioned  the  name  of  his  parents,  that  of  his 
father,  and  afterwards  that  of  liis  mother.  Great  in- 
terest now  manifested  itself  in  his  brother's  face,  and  he 
skilfully  drew  his  canoe  nearer. 

"  If  you  are  my  brother,  tell  me  some  incident,  that 
I  may  know  you." 

"  Thou  hast  a  scar  on  thy  arm — there,  on  the  right. 
Dost  thou  not  remember  the  crocodile  ? " 

This  was  enough  ;  the  young,  broad-chested  native 
gave  a  shout  of  joy,  and  roared  out  the  discovery  to  his 
countrymen  on  the  further  bank,  and  Baruti  for  the  first 
time  shed  tears.  The  young  fellow  drew  near  to  the 
ship,  forgot  his  fears  of  the  strangers,  and  gave  Baruti  a 
frantic  hug,  and  the  other  canoes  advanced  to  participate 
in  the  joy  of  the  two  restored  brothers. 

In  the  evening  Baruti  was  offered  his  choice  of  staying 
in  his  village  among  his  tribe,  or  of  following  our 
adventures  ;  at  the  same  time  he  was  advised  not  to 
leave  us,  as  life  among  the  Basoko  Avould  be  very 
insecure  with  the  Arabs  in  such  close  j)roximity  as 
Stanley  Falls. 

The  lad  appeared  to  think  so  too,  and  so  declined  to 
be  restored  to  his  native  land  and  tribe  ;  but  a  day  or 
two  after  reachins;  Yambuva  he  altered  his  mind,  came 
into  my  tent  in  the  dead  of  night,  armed  himself  with 
my  Winchester  rifle  and  a  brace  of  Smith  and  Wesson 
re\'olvers,  a  supply  of  rifle  and  revolver  cartridges,  took 
possession  of  a  silver  road- watch,  a  silver  pedometer,  a 
handsome  belt  with  fitted  pouches,  a  small  sum  of 
money,  and,  possessing  himself  of  a  canoe,  disappeared 
down  river  to  some  parts  unknown,  most  probably  to 
his  tril)e.  At  any  rate,  we  have  never  seen  or  heard 
of  him  since.     Peace  be  with  him  I 

On  the  15th  of  June  we  arrived  opposite  Yambuya 
villages,  situated  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Aruwimi, 
96  miles  above  the  confluence  of  the  Aruwimi  and  the 
Congo. 


V' 


CHAPTER  VI. 


AT    YAMBUYA. 


We  land  at  Yambuya  villages — The  Stnvlei/  leaves  for  Equator  Staiion — 
Fears  regarding;  Major  Barttelot  and  the  Ilenrn  /I'm^— Safe  anival — 
Instructions  to  Major  Barttelot  and  Mr.  Jameson  respecting  the 
Eear  Column  —  Major  Barttelot's  doubts  as  to  Ti])i)U-Tib"s  good 
faith— A  long  conversation  with  Major  Barttelot — Memorandum  tor 
the  officers  of  the  Advance  Column — Illness  cf  Lieutenant  Stairs — 
Last  night  at  Yambuya — Statements  as  to  our  forces  and  accoutre- 
ments. 

We  were  now  over  1300  miles  from  the  sea.  Opposite  U)  ,^^f"v 
us  were  the  Yilhiges  which  we  hoped,  with  tlie  goodwill  vamijuya. 
of  the  natives,  to  occupy  temporarily  as  a  depot  for  the 
men  and  stores  left  at  Bolobo  and  Leopoldville,  125 
men  and  about  600  porter-loads  of  impedimenta  ;  if  not 
with  the  natives'  g(jodwill  by  fair  purchase  of  the 
privilege,  then  by  force. 

On  an  exploring  visit  in  1883  I  had  attempted 
to  conciliate  them  without  any  permanent  result. 
We  had  a  very  serious  object  in  view  now.  In 
prospective  we  saw  only  the  distant  ports  of  the 
Nile  and  the  Albert  Nyanza,  defended  bv  men  ever 
casting  anxious  glances  to  every  cardinal  2)()int  of  the 
compass,  expectant  of  relief,  as  they  must  by  this  time 
l)e  well  informed  by  our  couriers  from  Zanziluir  ;  l)ut 
between  us  and  them  was  a  broad  region  justly  marked 
with  whiteness  on  the  best  maps  extant.  Lo<)king  at 
that  black  wall  of  f(jrest  which  had  been  a  continuous 
bank  of  tall  woods  from  Bolobo  hitherto,  excej)t  when 
disparted  by  the  majestic  streams  pouring  their  volu- 
minous currents  to  the  parent  river,  each  of  us  probably 
had  his  own  thouohts  far  hidden  in  the  recesses  of  the 
mmd.      Mine    were    of    that    ideal    Governor    in    the 


112 


/.v  ik[i:ki:st  afuica. 


*  ' 


i«H7.  midst  of  his  <fiii'ns(nis.  cliccriiiu'  iind  ciicoiirnijinir  Iiis 
'  ""'  ■'■  valiaiit  soKliei's,  poiiitiiiu  with  hand  (»utsti'('t<'h('<l  to 
the  (lii'cctioii  wIk'ik'O  tlio  ('Xpcctcd  rcliei  \V(»uld  surely 
a})pi'oacli  if  it  were  the  will  of  (Jod,  and  in  the  dis- 
tance heyond  I  saw  in  my  imagination  the  Malidist 
hor(h's  advancing  with  frantic  cries  and  thrillin^i;- 
enthusiasm  crying' (Uit,  "  ^'allah,  ^'aHah."  until  from  end 
to  end  of  the  swavini"'  lines  the  crv  was  heard  rolliu"" 
throuiih  I  he  host  of  fer\id  and  fanatical  warrioi's,  and 
on  the  <jthei'  sides  multitudes  (jf  savages  vowed  toexter- 


A  TYPICAL  vii.r.AtM-:  ox  Tin;  lower 

AKIWI.MI. 


SPiliS#f!fliPii«n*' 


mination  l>iding  their  time,  and  ])etwcGn  them  and  us 
was  this  hui;e  area  of  the  unknown  without  a  track  or  a 
i)ath. 

Ammunition  was  served  out  l)y  tlie  captains  of  tlie 
coni[)anies,  and  instructions  were  issue<l  to  them  to  have 
steam  up  on  hoard  their  respective  steamers  that  we 
might  connnence  the  first  most  important  move  pre- 
paratory to  marchini''  towards  the  Alhert  Xvanza. 

At  six  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  1  (Jtli  of  .June  the 
Peair  ulided  from  her  l>ertli  until  she  was  a])reast  of 
the  Sffftiiei/.  and  when  near  enough  to  he  heard,  I  re- 
quested the  officers  to  await  my  .signal.    Then,  steaming 


LXriTKMKST   OF   THE   SATIVKS    DF    YAMIUYJ.      113 

irciitlv  across  till'  I'ivcr,  \\v  att('iiU)t(Ml  t<»  soothe  tlio  fears  ,^*^'^v. 
and  (luiet  the  excitement  ot  the  natives  l»y  reniaininuf  y.j,,,!^^^^ 
ald'east  of  the  ureat  crowd  that  stood  upon  the  Itliifi'y  liank 
fifty  feet  ahove  us,  rei'ardiiiL'  uswitli  \voii(h'r  and  ciiriositv. 
Our  intei'p'-eter  was  well  able  to  make  himself  uiider- 
stoo<l,  for  the  nativ(\s  of  the  lower  Aruwimi  s})eal<  hut 
one  lan<i^ua_iie.  After  an  hour's  interchange  of  (•om[)li- 
ments  and  friendlv  |)hrases,  thev  were  induced  to  send  a 
few  of  the  hohh'st  down  to  the  river's  edue,  and  l»v  a 
slight  movement  of  the  helm  the  current  pushed  the 


<k^. 


nd  us 
<  or  a 

)f  tlie 

>  have 

lat   we 

pre- 

ne  the 
!ast  of 
I  re- 


unt    I.AXDIXf;    AT   YAMBIYA. 


steamer  close  to  the  l)ank.  where  anotlier  liour  was 
passed  in  entreaty  and  coaxing  on  our  })art,  denials  and 
refusals  on  the  other.  AVe  succeeded  in  the  purchase  of 
one  of  their  knives  for  a  liberal  (piantity  of  ])eads  ! 
Encourao-ed  bv  this,  we  commenced  to  neootiate  for 
leave  to  reside  in  their  villaoe  for  a  few  weeks  at  a  price 
in  cloth,  beads,  wire,  or  iron,  but  it  was  met  with 
consistent  and  firm  denial  for  another  hour. 

It  was  now  nine  o'clock,  my  throat  was  dry,  the  snn  w'as 
getting  hot,  and  I  signalled  to  the  steamer  Stanleij  to 

VOL.    I.  I 


u    'I  W. 


lU 


IN  DARKKtiT  AFRICA. 


18«7. 
Juiifi  16. 

Yambuva. 


come  nciuss  and  join  us,  and  when  near  enough,  aeeoixl- 
ino-  to  agreement,  a  second  signal  caused  the  steam 
wliistles  to  sound,  and  under  cover  of  the  deafening 
sounds,  pent  up  as  they  were  ])y  tlie  h.)fty  walls  of  the 
forest,  ])oth  steamers  were  steered  to  the  shore,  and  the 
Zanzi])aris  and  Soudanese  scramliled  up  the  steep  sides 
of  the  hlurt'  like  monkeys,  and  when  the  summit  was 
ijained  not  a  villaoer  was  in  sig-ht. 

We  found  Yambuya  settlement  to  c<mBist  of  a  series 
of  villaoes  of  conical  huts  extendintj  along  the  crest  of 
the  hank,  whence  far-reaching  views  of  the  Aruwimi  up 
and  down  stream  could  be  obtained.  The  companies 
were  marched  to  their  respective  quarters.  Guards 
were  set  at  the  end  of  every  pjtth  leading  out.  Some 
of  the  men  were  detailed  to  cut  wood  for  a  palisade, 
others  to  colie(;t  fuel,  and  several  scjuads  were  de- 
spatched to  ascertain  the  extent  of  the  fields  and  their 
locality. 

In  the  afternoon  two  natives  from  a  village  below 
Yambuya  made  their  appearance  w4tli  a  flattering  con- 
fidence in  their  demeanour.  They  belonged  to  the  Baburu 
tribes,  to  which  these  various  fragments  of  tribes  between 
Stanley  Falls  and  the  Lower  Aruwimi  l)elong.  They 
sold  us  a  few  bananas,  were  well  paid  in  return,  and 
invited  to  return  with  more  food,  and  assurance  was  given 
that  they  need  be  under  no  alarm. 

On  the  next  day  men  were  sent  to  collect  manioc 
from  the  fields,  others  were  sent  to  construct  a  palisade, 
a  ditch  was  traced,  workers  were  appointed  to  dig  a 
trench  for  sinking  tin  stockade  poles,  woodcutters  were 
sent  to  work  to  prepare  to  load  the  steamers  with  fuel, 
that  with  their  weakened  crews  they  might  not  be  sur- 
prised on  their  return  journey  to  the  Pool,  and  every- 
where was  life  and  activity. 

Several  captures  were  made  in  the  woods,  and  after 
being  shown  everything,  the  natives  were  supplied 
with  handfuls  of  beads  to  convev  the  assurance  that 
no  fear  ought  to  be  entertained  of  us  and  no  harm  done 
to  them. 

On  the  19th  fuel  sufficient  had  been  cut  for  six  days* 


aeeord- 
;  steam 
iafeiiing 
i  of  tlie 
and  the 
ep  sides 
111  it  was 

a  series 
crest  of 
wiuii  up 
iiiipaiiies 
Guards 
Some 
palisade, 
i^ere  de- 
md  their 

re  below 
I'iug  con- 
B  Bahuru 
between 
They 
urn.  and 
'as  given 

manioc 
palisade, 
0  dig  a 
ers  were 
ith  fuel, 

l)e  sur- 
every- 

nd  after 
supplied 
lice  that 
rm  done 

■^ix  days* 


YAMB UYA    SE TTLEMENT. 


115 


steaming  for  the  Stanlci/  with  which  slie  couhl  proceed 
t(j  E(|uator  Station.  A  clie(j[ue  was  drawn  for  X'50  in 
favour  of  the  Captain,  and  another  for  a  similar  amount 
for  the  engineer,  on  Ransom,  Bouverie  &  Co.,  and  both 
were  handed  in  tlieir  presence  to  .Mi'.  Jameson  to  be 
presented  to  them  on  their  return  from  Stanley  Bool, 
provided  they  safely  reached  Yambuya  about  the  middle 
of  August.  A  valual)le  jewel  was  sent  to  Lieutenant 
Liebrichts  as  a  token  of  my  great  regard  for  liim 
The  Stdiilcj/  left  next  morning  with  my  letters  to  the 
Emin  Relief  Committee. 

The  Peace  was  detained  for  the  sake  of  a(;companying 
her  consort,  the  Jleiiri/  Ueed,  which  was  now  hourly 
expected  from  Stanley  Falls  according  to  the  instruc- 
tions given  to  Major  Barttelot,  as  she  ought  to  have 
rea(;l]ed  us  on  the  19th. 

In  a  wild  country  like  this,  cannibals  in  the  forest  on 
either  hand,  and  thousands  of  slave  raiders  in  such  a 
ch)se  vicinity  as  Stanley  Falls,  we  were  naturally 
prone  to  suspect  the  occurrence  of  serious  events,  if 
one's  expectations  were  not  promptly  and  punctually 
realized.  jVIajor  Barttelot  had  passed  the  mouth  of  the 
Aruwimi  on  the  1 1th  inst.  in  ccmimand  of  the  steamer 
lleuri/  /»V(v/,  conveying  Tippu-Tib  and  i)arty  to  a  settle- 
ment from  which  an  English  commandant  and  gari'iscm 
had  been  precipitately  ousted.  True,  the  Arab  diief 
had  been  verv  confident  in  his  manner,  and  earnest  in 
the  assurance  that  in  nine  days  after  arriving  at  his 
settlement  he  would  present  himself  at  Vanibuya  with 
600  carriers  in  acconhince  with  his  agreement,  and  1  was 
loth  to  believe  that  he  was  in  any  way  responsible  for 
this  detention  of  the  Major.  Vet  the  JNlajor  sliould 
have  reached  Stanley  Falls  on  tlie  13th,  on  the  evening 
of  the  14th  he  should  have  been  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Aruwimi  again,  and  on  the  lOth  at  Yam})uya  ;  that 
is,  provided  the  Major  was  gifted  with  the  spirit  of 
literal  performance  and  permitte<l  nothing  to  tempt  him 
to  delay.  It  was  now  the  2 1st.  The  officers  were  con- 
fident that  nothing  had  occurred  but  the  delays  natural 
to  circumstances  of  existence  in  Africa,  but  hourly  1 


18«7. 
.lune  17. 

Yambuya. 


1887. 
June  21. 

Vanibuya. 


116 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


found  myself  straying  to  the  edge  of  the  bluff  sweeping 
the  view  down  river  with  my  glass. 

On  the  22nd  my  uneasiness  was  so  great  that  I  penned 
an  order  to  Lieutenant  Stairs  to  take  fifty  of  the  ])est 
men,  and  the  ^laxim  machine  gun,  to  proceed  down  river 
on  the  morning  of  the  2;3rd  with  the  Peace  to  search  for 
the  Henry  Reed,  and  if  all  other  eventualities  mentioned 
and  explained  had  not  transpired  to  proceed  to  Stanley 
Falls.  On  arriving  before  this  settlement  if  the  vessel 
was  seen  at  the  landing-place,  and  his  friendly  signals 
as  he  advanced  were  not  responded  to,  he  was  to 
prepare  everything  for  assault  and  re-capture  of  the 
steamer,  and  to  hurry  back  to  me  with  the  news  if 
unsuccessful. 

At  5  P.M.,  however,  the  Zanzibaris  rang  out  the 
-welcome  cry  of  "  Sail  ho  !  "  Barttelot  was  safe,  no 
;accident  had  occurred.  Tippu-Tib  had  not  captured 
the  vessel,  the  Soudanese  had  not  mutinied  against  the 
Major,  the  natives  had  not  assaulted  the  sleeping  camp 
by  night,  the  steamer  had  not  been  sunk  by  a  snag  nor 
had  she  ])een  run  aground,  and  the  boat  for  whicli  we 
were  morally  responsible  to  the  ^Mission  was  in  as  good 
order  and  condition  as  when  she  left  Stanlev  Pool.  But 
in  xVfrica  it  is  too  wearing  to  be  the  victim  of  such 
anxieties. 

The  Major  had  been  simply  detained  by  various  mis- 
chances— fighting  with  natives,  palaver  with  Tippu-Tib 
and  men,  &c.  &c. 

Two  days  later  the  steamers  Peace  and  Ifeun/  Reed 
were  loaded  with  fuel  and  despatched  homeward  down 
river,  and  we  had  severed  the  last  link  with  civilization 
for  many  a  month  to  come. 

On  this  day  I  <lelivered  the  foUowing  letter  of  instruc- 

ii(His  to  Major  Barttelot,  and  a  copy  of  it  to  Mr.  J.  S. 

Jameson  his  second  in  command. 

June  2ith,  1887. 

To  Major  Bauttelot,  &c.,  &c.,  &c. 

Sin,— As  the  senior  of  those  officers  accompanying  me  on  the  Emin 
Pasha  Relief  Expedition,  the  coniniautl  of  this  important  post  natnrally 
devolves  vn  yon.  It  is  also  for  the  interest  of  the  Expedition  that  yon 
accept  this  command,  from  the  fact  that  your  Soudanese  company,  heing 


LETTER    OF  IXSTRUCTIOX   TO   MAJOR   BARTTELOT.     117 


sepmg 

)eime(l 
le  best 
11  liver 
I'd  I  for 
itioned 
iituiiley 

vessel 
siii'iuils 
A'as    to 

of  the 
Lews    if 

lUt  the 
afe,  no 
iptured 
list  the 
g  camp 
nag  nor 
licli  we 
as  o()()(l 
1.  'But 
of  such 

lus  mis- 
;)pu-Til> 

7/  Reed 

|1  down 

lization 

liiistruc- 

Ir.  J.  S. 

\h,  18H7. 


tho  Emin 

1  naturally 

that  you 

iny,  being 


only  soldiers,  and  more  ca])able  of  ^'arrison  duty  than  tlic  Zanzibaris, 
will  be  better  utilized  than  on  ttie  road. 

The  steamer  StdtiJci/  left  Yaiubuya  on  the  22iid  of  this  month  for 
Stanley  Pool.  If  she  meets  wiili  no  mischance  she  oupht  to  bo  at 
Leopoldville  on  the  2nd  of  July.  In  two  days  more  she  will  be  loaded 
with  aliout  500  loads  of  our  goods,  which  were  left  in  charfi;o  of  ^Ir. 
J.  E.  Troup.  This  jrentleman  will  embark,  and  on  the  4th  of  July 
I  assume  that  the  Sfanlei/  will  commence  her  ascent  of  the  river,  and 
arrive  at  Bolobo  on  the  9th.  Fuel  beiii<;-  ready,  the  125  men  in  charge  of 
Messrs.  Ward  and  Bonny,  now  at  Bolobo,  will  embark,  and  the  steamer 
will  continue  her  journey.  She  will  be  at  Bangala  on  the  19th  of  July, 
and  arrive  here  on  the  31st  of  July.  Of  course,  the  lowness  of  the  river 
in  that  month  may  delay  her  a  few  days,  but,  having  ereat  confidence  in 
her  captain,  you  may  certainly  expect  her  before  the  10th  of  August.* 

It  is  the  non-arrival  of  these  goo^s  and  men  which  com])el  me  to 
appoint  you  as  conunander  of  this  post.  But  as  I  shall  shortly  exjiect 
the  arrival  of  a  strong  reinforcement  of  men,t  greatly  exceeding  the 
advance  force  which  must,  at  all  hazards,  push  on  to  the  rescue  of  Emin 
Pasha,  1  hope  you  will  not  be  detained  longer  than  a  few  days  after  the 
departure  of  the  Staiil-ij  on  her  final  return  to  Stanley  Pool  in  August. 

Meantime,  pending  the  arrival  of  our  men  and  goods,  it  behoves  you 
to  be  very  alert  and  wary  in  the  connnand  of  this  stockaded  camp. 
Though  the  camp  is  favourably  situated  and  naturally  strong,  a  brave 
enemy  would  find  it  no  difficult  task  to  capture  if  the  connnatider  is  lax 
in  discipline,  vigour  and  energy.  Therefore  I  feel  sure  that  I  have  made 
a  wise  choice  in  selecting  you  to  guard  our  interests  here  during  our 
absence. 

The  interests  now  entrusted  to  you  are  of  vital  importance  to  this 
Expedition.  The  men  you  will  eventually  have  under  you  consist  of 
more  than  an  entire  third  of  the  Ex])edition.  The  goods  that  will  l)e 
brought  up  are  the  currency  needed  for  transit  through  the  regions 
lieyond  the  Lakes  ;  there  will  be  a  vast  store  of  annnunitiou  and  ))rovi- 
sions,  which  are  of  e(iual  importance  to  us.  The  loss  of  these  men  and 
goods  would  be  certain  ruin  to  us,  and  the  Advance  Force  itself  would 
need  to  solicit  relief  in  its  turn.  Therefore,  weighing  this  matter  well,  I 
hope  you  will  s])are  no  pains  to  maintain  order  ancl  discipline  in  your 
camp,  and  make  your  defences  complete,  anil  keej)  them  in  such  a  condi- 
tion, that  however  brave  an  enemy  may  be  ho  can  make  no  impression 
on  tliem.  For  this  latter  ])uri)osc  I  would  recommend  you  to  make  an 
artificial  ditch  6  feet  wide,  3  feet  deep,  leading  from  the  natural  ditch, 
where  the  spring  is  round  the  stockade.  A  jilatform,  like  that  on  the 
southern  side  of  the  camp,  constructed  near  the  eastern  as  well  as 
the  western  gate,  would  be  of  advantage  to  the  strength  of  the  camp. 
For  remember,  it  is  not  the  natives  alone  who  may  wish  to  assail  you, 
but  the  Arabs  and  their  followers  may,  through  some  cause  or  other, 
quarrel  with  you  and  assail  your  camj). 

Our  course  from  here  will  be  due  east,  or  by  magnetic  compass  east  by 
south  as  near  as  possiltle.  Certain  marches  that  wi'  may  make  may  not 
exactly  lead  in  the  direction  aimed  at.  Nevertheless,  it  is  the  south-west 
corner  ot  Lake  Albert,  near  or  at  Kavalli,  that  is  our  destination.  When 
we  arrive  there  we  shall  form  a  strong  camj)  in  the  neighbourhood, 
launch  our  boat,  and  steer  for  Kibero,  in  Unyoro,  to  hear  from  Signor 


1887, 
June  24. 

YanibuyA. 


*  She  arrived  on  the  14th  of  August, 
by  ruiniing  on  a  snag. 
t  Tipi)U-Tib's  GOO  carriers. 


Had  l)een  detained  a  few  days 


118 


JN  DARKEST  AFJUCA. 


1887. 
June  24. 

Yatnbuya 


Cusati,  if  he  is  there,  of  the  condition  of  Emin  Pasha.  If  tlie  hitter  is 
alive,  and  in  tlie  neif:;hl)ourhood  of  the  Lake,  we  shall  communicate  with 
him,  and  our  after  conduct  must  be  guided  by  what  we  shall  learn  of  the 
intentions  of  Emin  Pasha.  We  may  assume  thai  we  shall  not  be  longer 
than  a  fortnight  with  him  before  deciding  on  our  return  towards  the 
cam])  along  the  panic  road  traversed  by  us. 

We  will  ondcavour,  by  blazing  trees  and  cutting  saplings  along  our 
road,  to  1  jave  sutticient  traces  of  the  route  taken  by  us.  We  shall  always 
take,  by  preference,  tracks  leading  eastward.  At  all  cro.ssings  where  ])aths 
intersect,  we  shall  hoe  uj)  and  make  a  hole  a  few  inches  deep  across  all 
paths  not  u.sed  by  us,  besides  blazing  trees  when  possible. 

It  may  happen,  shoidd  Ti])pu-Tib  have  .sent  the  full  number  of  adults 
promised  by  him  to  me,  viz.,  COO  men  (able  to  carry  loads),  and  the 
»S7a«/fiy  has  arrived  .safely  with  the  12)  men  left  by  me  at  Polobo,  that 
you  will  feel  yourself  sufficiently  competent  to  march  the  column,  with 
all  the  goods  brought  by  the  Stanfei/,  and  those  left  by  me  at  Yambuya, 
along  the  road  ])ursued  by  me.  In  that  event,  which  would  be  very 
desirable,  you  will  follow  clo.sely  our  route,  an(l  hcfore  many  days  we 
sliould  most  assuredly  meet.  No  doubt  you  will  find  our  bomas  intact 
and  standing,  antl  you  should  endeavour  to  make  your  marches  .so  that 
you  could  utilise  these  as  you  marched.  Better  guides  than  those  bonias 
of  our  route  could  not  be  made.  If  you  do  not  meet  them  in  the  course 
of  two  days'  march,  jou  may  rest  assured  that  you  are  not  on  our 
route. 

It  may  hap])en,  also,  that  though  Tii)]m-Tib  has  sent  some  men,  he 
has  not  .sent  enough  to  carry  the  goo  Is  with  your  own  force.  In  that 
case  you  will,  of  course,  use  your  discretion  as  to  what  goods  you  can 
dispense  with  to  enable  you  to  march.  For  this  purpose  you  should 
study  y(mr  list  attentively. 

Lst.  Anmiunition,  es])ecially  fixed,  is  most  important. 

2nd.  Beads,  brass  wire,  cowries  and  cloth,  ra'ik  next. 

3rd.  Private  luggage. 

4th.  Powder  and  ca))s. 

5th,  European  provisions. 

6th.  Brass  rods  as  ii.sed  on  the  Congo. 

7th.  Provisions  (rice,  beans,  peas,  millet,  biscuits). 

Tlierefore  yon  must  consider,  after  ro))e,  .sacking,  tools,  such  as  shovels 
(never  discard  an  axe  or  inll-hook),  how  many  sacks  of  jirovisions  you 
can  distribute  among  vour  men  to  enable  you  to  march  — Mhethcr  lialf 
your  brass  rods  in  the  boxes  could  not  go  also,  and  there  sto]).  W  you 
Btill  cannot  march,  then  it  would  be  better  to  make  two  marches  of  six 
miles  twice  over,  if  you  prefer  marching  to  staying  for  our  arrival,  than 
throw  too  many  things  away. 

With  the  Staiih'i/'s  linal  (le])arture  from  Yambuya,  you  .should  not  fail 
to  send  a  rei)ort  to  ]\Ir.  William  Mackinnon.  c^o  (Ji'ay,  Dawes  and  Co., 
13,  Austin  Friars,  Eondon,  of  what  has  liai)pened  at  your  cam])  in  my 
absence,  or  when  1  started  away  eastward ;  whether  you  have  heard  of 
or  from  me  at  all,  when  you  do  exjjcct  to  hear,  and  what  you  jturpose 
doing.  You  should  also  .send  him  a  true  co|)y  of  this  ordi'r,  that  the 
lielief  Connnittee  may  judge  for  them.selves  whether  you  have  acted,  or 
pro|)ose  to  act,  judiciously. 

Your  i)resent  garri.son  shall  consist  of  80  riHes,  and  from  40  to  H)  sujjer- 
numerarics.  The  Stmili n  is  to  bring  you  within  a  few  weeks  ."^O  more 
rifles  and  To  supernumeraries,  under  Messrs.  Troup,  Ward  and  Bonny. 

I  associate  Mr.  J.  S.  Jameson  with  you  at  ju'csent.  Messrs.  Trouj), 
Ward  and  Monny,  will  submit  to  your  authority.  In  the  ordinary  duties 
of  the  defence,  and  the  conihict  of  the  camp  or  of  the  march,  there  is 


LETTER    OF  INHTIlUCTJON   TO   MAJOIi   BABTTELOT.     119 


latter  is 
ate  witli 
■n  of  the 

10  longer 
inls  the 

long  our 

11  always 
;>re  i)aths 
cross  all 

)f  adults 
and  the 
obo,  that 
nin.  with 
'amlniya, 
1)0  very 
days  we 
as  intact 
3s  so  that 
(se  bonias 
ho  course 
t  on  our 

!  men,  he 

In  that 

you  can 

lu  should 


IS  shovels 
ions  you 
thcr  lialf 
Jt'  you 
i(>s  of  six 
val,  than 

d  not  fail 
and  Co., 

11))  in  my 
ln'anl  of 
])ur))oso 
that  the 
acted,  or 

i;;()sui)or- 
50  more 
Bonny. 

Trou]), 
iiry  duties 
I,  there  is 


only  one  chief,  which  is  yourself;  but,  should  any  vital  stoj)  bo  jtrojiosed 
to  be  taken,  I  beg  you  will  take  the  voice  of  Mr.  Jameson  also.  Ancl 
when  Messrs.  Trouj)  and  Ward  nro  hero,  ]iray  admit  them  to  your 
confidonco,  and  let  them  speak  freely  their  ojiinions. 

I  think  I  have  written  very  clearly  ui)()n  everything  that  strikes  mo  as 
necessary.  Your  treatment  of  the  natives,  1  suggest,  should  depend 
entirely  upon  their  conduct  to  you.  Suffer  them  to  return  to  the  neigh- 
bouring; villages  in  peace,  and  if  you  can  in  any  manner  by  moderation, 
sniall  gifts  occasionally  of  bra.ss  rods,  Ac,  hasten  an  amicablo  intercourse, 
I  should  recommend  \<.)\\  doing  so.  Lose  no  oi»])ortunity  of  obtaining 
all  kinds  of  information  rosj)octingthe  natives,  the  position  of  the  various 
villages  in  your  neighbourhood,  etc.,  Ac. 

I  have  the  lionour  to  be,  }  our  obedient  servant, 

Henuv  M.  Stanley. 

Ovin  ma n dlixj  Exjicdition . 

The  Major  witlidrew  to  rend  it,  and  then  recjiiested 
Mr.  Jameson  to  make  a  few  copies. 

About  two  o'chtek  the  Major  returned  to  me  and 
asked  for  an  interview.  He  said  lie  desired  to  speak 
witli  me  concerning  Tippu-Tih. 

"  1  shouhl  like  to  know,  sir,  somethino-  more  regard- 
inir  this  Aral).  When  1  was  delayed  a  few  days  ao()  at  the 
Fails,  you  were  pleased  to  deliver  some  rather  energetic 
orders  to  Lieutenant  Stairs.  It  strikes  me  that  you  are 
exceedingly  suspicious  of  him.  and  if  so,  I  really  cannot 
see  why  you  should  have  anythino'  to  do  with  such  a 
man." 

"  Well,  sir,  1  shall  he  pleased  to  discuss  him  with  you. 
or  any  other  subject,"  I  replied. 

"Three  days  before  your  steamer  was  sighted  coming 
up  river,  I  must  confess  to  have  been  very  anxious  about 
you.  You  were  in  command  of  a  steamer  which 
belonged  to  other  parties  to  whom  we  were  pledged  to 
return  her  within  a  certain  time.  Vou  had  a  com])any 
of  forty  soldiers,  Soudanese,  as  your  escort.  The  vessel 
was  well  fitted  and  in  perfect  order.  We  knew  the  time 
you  ought  to  have  occupie(l,  provided  no  accident 
occurred,  and  as  your  instructions  were  positively  to 
depart  from  Stanley  Falls,  as  soon  as  the  cow  j)romised 
))y  our  friend  Ngalyema  was  aboard,  and  il'  she  was  not 
forthco'inng  within  an  hour  you  were  to  slip  away  down 
river.  Assuming  that  no  accident  happened  and  that 
you  obeyed  orders,  you  should  have  been  here  on  the 


1S87. 
.liinc  24. 

Yambiiva. 


Ill 


if 

4 


120 


IN  DAHKESr  AFlilCA. 


1887.     evening  of  the  16th,  or  on  the  17th  at  the  Litest. 
June  24.  ^j-j  j^^^^  amve  until  5  p.m.  on  tlie  22nJ. 

Yambuya. 


You 


!■  I 


h  fl'i 


U  io 


I  i 


"  We  have  no  telegraphs  here,  or  pijsts.  As  we  could 
gain  no  intelligence  of  you,  my  anxiety  about  you 
created  doul)ts.  As  one  day  after  another  passed,  doubts 
became  actual  dread  that  something  unaccountable  had 
occurred.  Had  you  struck  a  snag,  run  aground,  like 
the  Stanley  and  lloi/al  did,  as  almost  all  steamers  do, 
had  you  been  assaulted  by  natives  in  the  night  like 
Captain  Deane  in  the  A.  I. A.  at  Bunga,  had  your 
Soudanese  mutinied  as  they  threatened  to  do  at  Lukungu, 
had  you  been  shot  as  a  Soudanese  regiment  shot  all 
their  white  officers  in  the  Soudan  once,  had  you  been 
detained  by  force  because  Tippu-Tib  had  been  over 
persuaded  to  do  by  those  young  fire-eaters  of  Ara])s  pt 
the  Falls,  had  you  quarrelled  with  those  young  fellows, 
the  two  Salims,  as  Stairs  and  Jephson  did  below  Stanley 
Pool.  If  not,  what  had  occurred  ?  Could  1,  could 
anybody  suggest  anything  else  i  " 

"  But  I  was  obliged " 

"  Never  mind,  my  dear  Major,  say  no  more  about  it. 
Don't  think  of  defending  yourself.  I  am  not  mentioning 
these  things  to  complain  of  you,  but  replying  to  your 
question.     All  is  well  that  ends  safely. 

"  Now  as  to  Tippu-Tib.  I  have  nothing  to  do  with 
Tippu-Tib,  but  from  necessity,  for  your  sake  as  well 
as  mine.  He  claims  this  as  his  territory.  We 
are  on  it  as  his  friends.  Supposing  we  had  not  made 
agreement  v>'itli  him,  how  long  should  we  be  left  to 
prepare  for  the  march  to  the  Albert,  or  how  long  w^ould 
you  be  permitted  to  remain  here,  before  you  had  to 
answer  the  (j[uestion  why  you  were  on  his  territory  ? 
Could  I  possibly  leave  you  here,  with  my  knowledge  of 
what  they  are  capable  of — alone  ?  With  eighty  ritles 
against  probably  3000,  perhaps  5000  guns?  Why, 
Major,  I  am  surprised  that  you  who  have  seen  Stanley 
Falls,  and  some  hundreds  of  the  Arabs  should  ask 
the  (iuestion  ? 

"  You  have  accompanied  Ti;^pu-Tib  and  nearly  a 
hundred  of  his  folhnvers  fro  i  Zauiiibar.     You  have  seen 


CONVERSATION    WITH  MAJOR   BARTTELOT. 


121 


You 

i  could 
it  you 
doubts 
le  had 
d,  like 
3rs  do, 
[it  like 
I  your 
kungu, 
lot  all 
u  been 
Q  over 
rabs  pt 
fellows, 
Stanley 
,  could 


lout  it. 
tionius; 
o  your 


o 

IS 


with 

well 

We 

made 

eft  to 

would 

lad  to 

itory  '{ 

dge  of 

Y  rifles 

Why, 

taniey 

d    ask 

arly   a 
re,  seen 


what  boyish  deli^n'ht  they  took  in  their  weapons,  their     i8b7. 
Winchesters,  and  valuable  double-barrelled  I'itles.     You   -^""^ -'*• 
know  the  story  of  Deane's  fight  at  Stanley  Falls.     You  ^'""^^^i'-^ 


I  vnu 
better 


tl 


lictive,  that  his  fiery  nephews 
lan  peace.      You  know  that 


know  that  Tippu-Til 

would  like  a  fight 

he  meditated  war  against  the  Congo  State,  and  that  1 

had  to  pass  on  a  relief  mission  through  a  portion  of  his 

territory.     Why  how  can  you — grown    to  the  rank  of 

Major — ask    such    questio 


d(^ubt    the    wh 


an( 


or — asK    sucn   questions,    or   cu^uot    tne    wiiy 
wherefore  of  acts  which  are  as  clear  as  daylight  ? 

"Our  transport  the  Madura  was  in  Zanzi})ar  liarl)()ur. 
The  owner  of  this  district,  as  he  calls  himself,  was  pre- 
paring munitions  against  all  white  men  on  the  Congo, 
resenting  and  resentful.  Would  it  have  l)een  prudent 
for  me  to  have  left  this  man  in  such  a  state  ?  That  he 
prepared  for  war  against  the  State  did  not  materially 
affect  me,  but  that  he  intended  doing  so  while  I  had  to 
pass  through  his  territory,  and  in  his  neighbourhood  on 
a  humane  mission  was  everything.  Therefore  I  was  as 
much  interested  in  this  affair  of  patching  up  a  peace 
between  the  Congo  State  and  King  Leopold  as  His 
Majesty  himself  was,  and  more  so  indeed. 

"  And  I  suppose  you  will  ask  me  next  how  does  it 
affect  your  personal  interests  ?  Have  you  not  told  me 
over  and  over  again  that  you  are  burning  to  accom- 
pany us,  that  you  would  infinitely  prefer  marching  to 
waiting  here  ?  And  is  it  not  understood — according 
to  your  letter  of  instructions — that  failing  Tippu- 
Tib's  appearance  with  his  600  carriers,  you  are  to 
make  double-stages,  or  triple-stages  rather  than  stay  at 
Yam  buy a? 

"  Look  at  these  pencilled  calculations  on  this  paper — • 
nay,  you  can  keep  it,  if  you  please.  They  represent 
what  you  can  do  with  your  own  men,  and  what  you  can 
do  assuming  that  Tippu-Til)  really  keeps  to  the  letter  of 
his  contract. 

"  Now  I  have  grounded  my  instructions  principally 
on  your  impetuous  answer  to  me  at  Bolobo.  '  By  Jove  ! 
I  will  not  stay  a  day  at  Yambuya  after  I  get  my  column 
together ! ' 


it 

* 


122 


IX  DABKEiST  AFRICA. 


ii' 


!    ( 


1887  "  See  here  !     The  letter  says — '  It  may  happen  that 

June '24.  ""Pippii/fij)  ij.^j^  ^^^l^l  soiuc  iiieii,  l)iit  iiot  seiit  enough; 
urn  uja.  ^]j(3j.(3f,)j.(3^  y,)y  J^uo^y,  use  youi"  discretion  ;  dispense  with 
No.  7,  provisions,  such  as  rice,  l)eans,  peas,  millet, 
]»iscuits.  See  how  many  sacks  of  provisions  you  can 
issue  out  to  your  men — they  will  eat  them  fast  enough, 
I  warrant  you.' 

'  It  goes  (m — '  If  you  still  cannot  march,  then  it 
would  he  ])etter  to  make  marches  of  six  miles  twice  over 
— that  is,  to  go  one  march  of  six  miles,  and  then  return 
to  fetch  another  lot,  and  march  forward  again.  Such  as 
my  work  was  on  the  C\)ngo,  when  with  68  men  I  made 
8.S  round  trips  on  the  stretch  of  52  miles  to  take  2000 
loads — 5  immense  waggons  and  make  a  waggon  road, 
building  bridges,  etc'  That  pencilled  paper  in  your 
hand  informs  you  how  many  miles  you  can  do  in  this 
fashion  in  six  months. 

"  But  this  is  how  my  pact  with  Tippu-Tib  affects  you 
personally.  If  Tippu-Tib  performs  his  contract  faith- 
fully, then  on  the  arrival  of  the  Stcmlei/  W\t\\  Messrs. 
Ward,  Troup,  and  Bonny,  and  their  men,  you  can  set 
out  from  Yambuya  within  a  day  or  two,  c^nd  perhaps 
overtake  us,  or  on  our  return  from  the  Albe..t  we  shall 
meet  before  many  days. 

"  Now  which  would  you  personally  prefer  doing  ? 
Travelling  ])ackwar(ls  and  forwards  from  camp  to  camp, 
twice,  or  perhaps  thrice,  or  have  Tippu-Tib  with  GOO 
carriers  to  help  your  200  carriers,  and  march  at  a  swing- 
ing pace  through  the  woods  on  our  track,  straight  for 
the  Albert  Nyanza  ?  " 

"Oil,  there  is  not  a  doubt  of  it.  I  should  prefer 
marching  straight  away  and  try  and  catch  up  with  you. 
Naturally." 

"  Well,  do  you  begin  to  understand  why  I  have  been 
sweet,  and  good,  and  liberal  to  Tippu-Tib  ?  Why  I  have 
given  him  free  passage  and  board  for  himself  and 
followers  from  Zanzibar  to  Stanley  Falls  ?  Why  I  have 
shared  the  kid  and  the  lamb  with  him  ?  " 

"  Quite." 

"  Not   quite  yet,   I   am  afraid.  Major,  otherwise  you 


CONVEliSATION    WITH  MAJOR   liAllTTELOT. 


12S 


would  not   liave  (loul)tetl  me.     There  is  .still  a  serious 
reason. 

''Assuming,  for  instance,  that  I  had  not  brought 
Tippu-Til)  here,  that  the  Arabs  at  Stanley  Falls  were 
not  wrathy  with  white  men  for  Deane's  aliair,  or  that 
they  would  fear  attacking  you.  They  had  hut  to  atiect 
friendship  with  you,  sell  you  goats  and  food,  and  then 
tell  your  Zanziharis  that  theii'  settlement  was  hut  six  or 
seven  days  away — where  they  had  plenty  of  rice  and 
fish  and  oil  to  tempt  three-fourths  of  you]'  men  to  desert 
in  a  few  days,  while  you  were  innocently  waiting  for  the 
Bolobo  contingent  ;  and  no  sooner  would  the  other 
fellows  have  reached  here  than  they  would  hear  of  the 
desertion  of  their  comrades  for  the  Falls,  and  follow  suit 
either  wholesale  or  by  twos  and  threes,  sixes  and  tens, 
until  you  would  have  been  left  stranded  completely.  Is 
it  not  the  fear  of  this  deserticjn  tiiat  was  one  of  the 
reasons  I  chose  the  Congo?  Having  Tipjju-Tib  as  my 
friend  and  engaged  to  me,  I  have  put  a  stop  to  the 
possibility  of  any  wholesale  desertion. 

"  Let  these  reasons  sink  into  your  mind,  JNTajor,  my 
dear  fellow.  Yet  withal,  your  column  may  be  ruined  if 
you  are  not  very  careful.  Be  tender  and  patient  with 
your  people,  for  they  are  as  skittish  as  young  colts. 
Still,  it  was  with  these  people,  or  men  like  them,  thut  1 
crossed  Africa^followed  the  course  of  the  Congo  to  the 
sea,  and  formed  the  Congo  State." 

"  Well,  now,  say  do  you  think  Tippu-Tib  will  keej) 
his  contract,  and  l)ring  his  GOO  people  ?  "  asked  the  Major. 

"  You  ought  to  know  that  as  well  as  I  myself.  What 
did  he  say  to  you  ])efore  you  left  him  ?  " 

"He  said  he  would  be  here  in  nine  days,  as  he  told 
you  at  Bangala.  Inshallah  ! "  replied  the  Majoi', 
mimicking  the  Arab. 

"  If  Tippu-Til)  is  here  in  nine  days,  it  will  be  the 
biojrest  wonder  I  have  met." 

"  Why  ?  "  asked  the  Major,  looking  up  half  wonder- 
ingly. 

"  Because  to  provide  000  carriers  is  a  large  order.  He 
will  not  be  here  in  fifteen  days  or  even  twenty  days.     \\'e 


June  'J.\. 
Yainbuya. 


124 


IN  DARKEST  AFUK'A. 


1887. 
June  '.'4. 

Vambuya. 


must  be  i'eas()nHl)le  witli  tlie  man.  He  is  not  an  European 
— taught  to  he  rigidly  faithful  to  his  promise.  Inshallah  ! 
was  it  he  said  ?  To-morrow— Inshallah  means  the  dav 
after — or  five  days  hence,  or  ten  days.  But  what  does 
it  matter  to  you  if  he  does  not  eome  within  twenty  days  ? 
The  Stanlci/  will  n(^t  be  here  until  the  10th,  or  perhaps 
the  middle  of  August  ;  that  will  be  about  seven  weeks — 
f(H'ty-two  days — hence.  He  has  abundance  of  time.  What 
do  you  want  to  look  after  GOO  men  in  your  camp  doing 
nothing,  waiting  for  the  steamer  ?  Idle  men  are 
mischievous.  No ;  wait  for  him  patiently  until  the 
Stanle]/  comes,  and  if  he  has  not  appeared  by  that  time 
he  will  not  come  at  all." 

*'  But  it  will  be  a  severe  job  for  us  if  he  does  not 
appear  at  all,  to  carry  500  or  GOO  loads  with  200 
carriers,  to  and  fro,  backwards  and  forwards,  day  after 

"  Undoubtedly,  my  dear  Major,  it  is  not  a  light 
task  by  any  means.  But  which  would  you  prefer  ;  stay 
here,  waiting  for  us  to  return  from  the  Albert,  or  to 
proceed  little  by  little — gaining  something  each  day — 
and  l)e  absorbed  in  your  work  ?  " 

"  Oh,  my  God !  I  think  staying  here  for  months 
w^ould  be  a  deuced  sight  the  worse." 

"  Exactly  what  I  think,  and,  therefore,  I  made  these 
calculations  for  you.  I  assure  you.  Major,  if  I  were 
sure  that  you  could  find  your  way  to  the  Albert,  I  would 
not  mind  doing  this  work  of  yours  myself,  and  appoint 
you  commander  of  the  advance  column,  rather  than 
have  any  anxiety  about  you." 

"  But  tell  me,  Mr.  Stanley,  how  long  do  you  suppose 
it  will  be  before  we  meet  ? " 

"  God  knows.  None  can  inform  me  what  lies  ahead 
here,  or  how  far  the  forest  extends  inland.  Whether 
there  are  any  roads,  or  wdiat  kind  of  natives,  cannibals,  in- 
corrigil)le  savages,  dwarfs,  gorillas.  I  have  not  the  least 
idea.  I  wish  I  had ;  and  would  give  a  handsome  sum 
for  the  knowledge  even.  But  that  paper  in  your  hand,  on 
which  I  have  calculated  how  long  it  will  take  me  to 
march  to  the  Alljcrt  Nyanza,  is  based  on  this  fact.      In 


CONVERSATION    WITH  MAJOR   DARTTELOT. 


125 


1874  and  1875  I  travelled  720  miles  in  loa  days.  The 
distanee  frcmi  here  to  the  Albert  Nyanza  is  altout  .'i;50 
geographical  miles  in  a  straight  line.  Well,  in  1874-75, 
I  travelled  330  oeouTapliical  miles — Jiauamovo  to 
Vinyata,  in  Ituru,  in  64  days ;  from  Lake  Uliim])a  to 
Ujiji,  330  miles,  in  54  days.  These  were,  of  course, 
open  countries,  with  tolerably  fair  roads,  whereas  this 
is  absolutely  unknown.  Is  it  all  a  forest  i — then  it  will 
be  an  awful  work.  How  far  does  the  forest  reach 
inland  ?  A  hundred — two  hundred — three  hundred 
miles  ?  There  is  no  answer.  Let  us  assume  we  can 
do  the  journey  to  the  Albert  in  three  months ;  that  1 
am  detained  a  fortnight,  and  that  I  am  back  in 
three  months  afterwards.  Well,  I  shall  meet  vou  comino' 
toward  me,  if  Tippu-Til>  is  n(jt  with  you,  the  latter 
part  of  October  or  Novem])er.  It  is  all  down  on  that 
paper. 

"  But  it  is  immaterial.  The  thing  has  to  ])e  done. 
We  will  go  ahead,  we  will  blaze  the  trees,  and  mark  our 
track  through  the  forest  for  you.  We  will  avail  oui'sclves 
of  every  advantage — any  path  easterly  will  suit  me 
until  I  bore  through  and  throuoh  it,  and  come  out  on 
the  plains  or  pastureland.  And  where  we  go,  you  can 
go.  If  we  can't  go  on,  you  will  hear  from  us  somehow. 
Are  you  now  satisfied  ?  " 

"  Perfectly,"  he  replied.  "  I  have  it  all  here,"  touching 
his  forehead — "  and  this  paper  and  letter  will  be  my 
reminders.  But  there  is  one  thing  I  should  like  to 
speak  about,  it  refers  to  something  you  said  to  me  in 
London." 

"  Ah,  indeed.  What  was  said  that  was  in  any  way 
peculiar  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Well  " — here  there  was  a  little  hesitation — "  do  you 
remember  when  Mr.  — — ,  of  the  India  Office,  intro- 
duced me  to  you  ?  The  words  you  used  sounded 
strangely,  as  though  someone  had  been  warning  you 
against  me." 

"  My  dear  Barttelot,  take  my  word  for  it,  I  don't 
remember  to  have  heard  the  name  of  Barttelot  before  I 
heard  your  name.     But  you  interest  me.     What  could 


June  'J4. 
Yambuya. 


i' 


Ifr 

i  ' 

1  : 

12t;                              /A'    hMtKF.sr  Al'lilrA. 

1H87. 

I  liave  possiltly  said  tliut  was  any  way  [x'culiar  to  cling 

June  ■-'4. 

Yaiiibuvii. 

to  your  nienioiy    like   this  ^      1    icnicinhcr   tlic  cin-iini- 
staiico  well  :* " 

m 


m 


!i! 


"The  fact  is,"  he  said,  "you  said  sonicthiiiii;  al»out 
'  foi'liearance.'  which  reniiiided  me  that  I  iiad  heard  that 
word  lietore,  when  (Jeneral  — —  [)itched  into  me  ahout 
punishin<;'  a  Somali  mutineer  in  tlie  (U'sert  durin*;-  the 
tSouihin  campait^n.  I  was  all  alone  with  the  Somalis 
when  they  turned  on  me,  and  I  spran^'  upon  the  rinuj- 
leader  at  last  when  there  was  no  other  wav  of  reducingf 
them  to  order  and  pistolled  him,  and  at  once  the  Somalis 
hecame  quiet  as  laml)s.  1  thouiiht  that  ( Jeneral  - — , 
who  is  not  remarkahle  for  goodwill  to  me,  had  menti<»ned 
the  affair  to  you.' 

"  Indeed,  1   never  heard  the  story  before,  and   I  do 

not  understand  how  (ieneral could  have   warned 

me,  considering  he  could  not  have  known  you  were 
going  to  apply  for  membership.  It  was  your  own  face 
which  inspired  the  word  forbearance.  Your  friend 
introduced  vou  to  me  as  a  distino-uished  officer  full  of 
pluck  and  courage ;  upon  which  I  said  that  those 
qualities  were  common  characteristics  of  British  officers, 
but  I  would  prefer  to  hear  of  another  quality  which 
would  be  of  e<pial  value  for  a  peculiar  service  in  Africa 
— and  that  was  forbearance.  You  will  excuse  me  now, 
I  hope,  for  saying  that  I  read  on  your  face  immense 
determination  and  something  like  pugnacity.  Now,  a 
pugnacious  fellow,  though  very  useful  at  times,  you 
know,  is  not  quite  so  useful  for  an  expedition  like  this — 
wdiich  is  to  work  in  an  atmosphere  of  irritability — as  a 
man  who  knows  not  only  how  and  when  to  fight,  but 
also  how  to  forbear.  Why,  a  thousand  causes  provoke 
irritation  and  friction  here  between  himself  and  fellow- 
officers,  his  own  followers  and  natives,  and  frequently 
between  himself  and  his  own  person.  Here  is  bad  food 
always,  often  none  at  all,  a  miserable  diet  at  the  best,  no 
stimulant,  incessant  toil  and  worry,  intense  discomfort, 
relaxed  muscles,  weariness  amounting  to  fainting,  and, 
to  cap  all,  dreadful  racking  fevers,  urging  one  to  curse 
the  day  he  ever  thought  of  Africa.     A  pugnacious  man 


CONVERSATIOS    WITH   MA.loll    ll.\ llTTh'La'r. 


12; 


is  iiatiirally  ill-^enl[)C'l'e(l,  and  unli'ss  lie  ri'strains  his 
instiin'ts,  and  can  conti'ol  iiis  iiupnlscs,  he  is  in  hot 
water  every  minute  of  his  existence,  and  will  Hnd  cross 
ruhs  with  every  throb  of  his  heart.  To  he  able  to 
forbear,  to  kee[)  down  rigorously  all  bitter  feelini>s.  to 
let  the  thoughts  of  his  duty,  his  position,  {)lead  against 
the  in(bd^ence  of  his  passions.  Ah,  that  (piality,  while 
it  does  not  diminish  coura<i;e,  prevents  the  waste  of 
natural  force  ;  but  L  (k)n't  wish  to  preach  to  you,  you 
know  what  1  mean. 

"  And  now  to  close — one  word  more  about  Ti[)})U-Ti}). 
Do  you  see  that  JMaxim  out  there  with  its  ••apino- 
muzzle.  [  regard  Ti[)[)u-Til)  wmiewhat  as  1  do  that. 
It  is  an  excellent  weapon  for  defence.  A  stream  of 
bullets  can  be  poured  out  of  it,  but  it  may  get  jammed, 
and  its  mechanism  bec(mie  deranoed  from  rust  or  want 
of  ii'ood  oil.  In  that  event  we  relv  on  our  ileminu- 
tons,  iw  I  Winchester  Repeaters,  If  Tip[)U-Tib  is  dis- 
posed to  iielp  us — he  will  be  a  most  valuable  auxiliary 
— failure  bec(jmcs  impossi))le,  we  shall  complete  our  work 
admirably.  If  he  is  not  disposed,  then  we  must  do  what 
we  can  with  our  own  men,  and  goodwill  covers  a  multi- 
tude of  errors. 

"  Do  you  remember  that  in  1870  Tippu-Tib  broke  his 
contract  with  me,  and  returned  to  Nyangwe,  leaving  me 
ahme.  Well,  with  about  I  ;}0  of  my  own  men,  I  drove  my 
way  down  the  C^ongo  despite  his  sneer.  You  said  you 
met  Dr.  Lenz,  the  Austrian  traveller,  at  Lamu,  after 
having  failed  to  reach  Emin  Pasha.  Why  did  he  fail  ? 
He  relied  on  Tippu-Til)  alone  ;  he  had  no  private  reserve 
of  force  to  fall  back  upon.  You  have  over  200  carriers 
and  50  soldiers,  besides  servants  and  etficient  com{)anions. 
Un  the  Congo  work  I  was  promised  a  contingent  of 
natives  to  assist  me.  ( )nly  a  few  came,  and  those 
deserted  ;  but  I  had  a  faitliful  reserve  of  sixty-eight  men 
— they  were  the  fellows  who  made  the  Congo  State. 
You  remember  my  letter  to  the  Times;  where  1  said, 
'  We  do  not  want  Tippu-Tib  to  assist  us  in  finding  Emin 
Pasha.  We  want  him  to  carrv  ammunition,  and  on  his 
return  to  bring  away  ivory  to  help  pay  the  expenses  of 


1887. 
.lull.'  •J4. 

Viiiubuya. 


n 


I 


128 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


1887. 
June  24. 

Yambuva. 


m 


i 

1  . 

. 

i      ; 
I 

I    1 

f  i 


the  Mission.'  Then,  as  a  hist  proof  of  how  I  regard 
Tippu-Tii),  (h)  not  forget  that  written  order  to  Lieu- 
tenant Stairs  a  few  days  ago,  to  rake  his  settlement 
with  the  machine  gun  upon  the  least  sign  of  treachery. 
You  have  read  that  letter.  You  ought  to  know  that  the 
gage  of  battle  is  not  thrown  in  the  ftice  of  a  trusted 
friend. 

"  Now,  Major,  my  dear  fellow,  don't  l)e  silly.  I  know 
you  feel  sore  because  you  are  iiot  to  go  with  us  in  the 
advance.  You  think  you  will  lose  some  kudos.  Not  a 
bit  of  it.  Ever  since  King  David,  those  who  remain 
witli  the  stuff,  and  those  who  go  to  the  war,  receive  the 
same  hon^'urs.  Besides,  I  don't  like  the  word  '  kudos.' 
The  kudo.-  impulse  is  like  the  pop  of  a  ginger-l)eer 
bottle,  good  for  a  V.C.  or  an  Albert  medal,  but  it 
effervesces  in  a  month  of  Africa.  It  is  a  damp  squib, 
Major.     Think  rather  of  Tennyson's  lines  : — 

"  Not  once  or  twice  in  our  fair  island  story 
Has  tlie  path  of  duty  been  the  way  to  glory." 

There,  shake  hands  upon  this.  Major.  For  us  the  word 
is  '  Right  Onward ' ;  for  you  '  Patience  and  Forbearance.' 
I  want  mv  tea.      I  am  div^  with  talking." 

On  the  25th  the  stockade  was  c(mipleted  all  round 
the  camp,  the  ditch  was  approaching  completion.  Bj^'t- 
telot  superintended  the  works  on  one  side  ;  Jephson,  in 
shirt-sleeves,  looked  over  another.  Nelson  was  dis- 
tributing the  European  provisions — share  and  share 
alike  ;  our  Doctor,  cheery,  smiling,  anxious  as  though  ho 
were  at  a  surgical  operation,  was  constructing  a  gate, 
and  performed  the  carpenter's  operation  in  such  a  manner 
that  I  wrote  in  my  diary  that  evening,  "  He  is  certainly 
one  of  the  l)est  fellows  alive."  Jameson  was  busy  copy- 
ing the  letter  of  instructions.  Stairs  was  in  bed  with 
a  severe  bilious  fever. 

A  Soudanese  soldier,  as  innocent  as  a  lamb  cropping 
sweet  grass  before  a  fox's  covert,  trespassed  for  the  sake 
of  loot  near  a  native  village,  and  was  speared  through 
the  abdomen.  It  is  the  second  fatal  case  resulting  from 
lo(»ting.     It  will  not  be  our  last.    We  place  a  Soudanese 


MEMORANDUM  FOR  OFFICERS  OF  ADVANCE  COLUMN.    129 


tound 
Bi>  •  t- 
)ii,  in 
dis- 
sliare 
^h  he 
gate, 
laiiner 
bainly 
[copy- 
witli 


Ippmg 
sake 

j'ough 
from 

lanese 


on  guard  ;  liis  friend  comes  along,  exchanges  a  word  or 
two  with  him,  and  passes  on,  \\\i\\  the  completest  un- 
consciousness of  danger  that  can  be  imagined.  If  not 
slain  outright,  he  returns  with  a  great  gash  in  his 
body  and  a  look  of  death  in  his  face.  The  Zanzi])ari  is 
set  to  labour  at  cutting  wood  or  collecting  manioc  ;  he 
presently  drops  his   task    utters  an   excuse   for    with- 


1887. 
June  -5. 

Yiimbuya. 


drawing  for  a  moment- 


-a  thought   glances  across 


his 
away. 


vacuous  mind,  and  under  the  impulse  he  haste 
to  be  reported  by-and-by  as  missing. 

On  the  26th  I  drew  out  a  memorandum  for  the  officers 
of  the  Advance  Column,  of  which  the  following  is  a 
copy  :— 

We  propose  to  commence  our  march  the  day  after  to-morrow,  the  28th 
of  June,  1887. 

The  distance  we  liave  to  traverse  is  about  330  geop-apliical  miles  in  an 
air  line — or  about  650  miles  English,  provided  we  do  not  find  a  path  more 
than  ordinarily  winding. 

If  we  make  an  average  of  ten  miles  per  day  we  ought  to  be  able  to 
reach  the  Albert  within  two  months. 

In  1871  my  Expedition  after  Livingstone  performed  360  Entilish  miles 
in  54  days  =  about  65  miles  })er  day. 

In  1874  my  Expedition  across  Africa,  performed  300  English  miles  in 
64  days,  viz.,  from  Baganioyo  to  Viuyata  =  55  miles  per  day. 

In  1874-75  the  same  Expedition  reached  Lake  Victoria  from  Baganioyo, 
720  miles  distance  in  103  days  =  7  miles  per  day. 

In  1876  the  same  Expedition  traversed  3G0  miles,  the  distance  from 
Lake  IJhiniba  to  Ujiji  in  59  days  =  6y\y  miles  per  day. 

Thci'efore  if  we  travel  the  distance  to  Kavalli,  say  5.50  miles  at  an 
average  of  G  miles  i)er  day,  we  should  reach  Lake  Albert  about  tlu  last 
day  of  September. 

A  conception  of  the  character  of  more  than  half  of  the  country  to  bo 
traversed  may  be  had  by  glancing  at  our  surroundings.  It  will  bo  a 
bush  and  forested  country  with  a  native  ])ath  more  or  less  crooked  con- 
necting the  various  settlements  of  the  tribes  dwelling  in  it. 

The  track  now  and  then  will  bo  intersected  by  others  connecting  the 
tribes  north  of  our  route  and  those  south  of  it. 

The  natives  will  be  armed  with  shields,  s])ears  and  knives,  or  with  liows 
and  arrows. 

As  our  pur]x)se  is  to  march  on  swiftly  through  the  country,  we  take  the 
natives  considerably  by  surprise.  Tliey  cannot  confederate  or  meet  us  in 
any  force,  l)ecauso  they  will  have  no  time.  Whatever  liostiliries  we  may 
meet  will  be  the  outcome  of  impulse,  and  that  naturally  an  angry  one. 
OfHcers  must  therefore  W.  prom])t  to  resist  these  imjmlsive  attacks,  and 
should  at  all  times  now  see  that  their  Winchester  magazines  are  loaded, 
and  their  bearers  close  to  them.  Side  arms  should  not  be  dispensed  with 
on  any  account. 

Th(!  order  of  the  march  will  be  as  follows  : 

At  dawn  the  renei/lf  will  sound  as  usnal. 

First  by  the  Soudanese  trumpeter  attached  to  No.  1  Company. 

VOL.  L  J 


1887. 
June  26. 

Yam  buy  a. 


r 


:!■:, 


til 


ll 


130 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


Second  by  the  bugle  attached  to  Captain  Stairs'i;'  Company,  No.  2 — 
Captain  .Stairs. 

Tliird  by  the  trumpeter  attached,  to  the  No.  3  Company — Captain 
Nelson. 

Fourth  by  the  drummer  attached  to  Captain  Jephson'sN"  4  Company. 
Officers  will  feed  early  on  coffee  and  biscuit,  and  see  tnat  their  men 
are  also  strent;thening  themselves  for  the  journey. 

At  G  A.M.  the  march  of  the  day  will  begin,  led  by  a  band  of  ;";0  pioneers 
armed  with  rifles,  bill-hooks  and.  axes,  forming  the  advance  guard  under 
myself. 

The  main  body  will  then  follow  after  15  niiiuxtes,  led  by  an  officer 
whose  turn  it  is  to  be  at  the  head  of  it,  whose  duty  will  be  specially  to 
see  that  he  follows  the  route  indicated  by  "  blazing  "  or  otherwise. 

This  column  will  consist  of  all  bearers,  and  all  men  sick  or  well  who 
are  not  detailed  for  rear  guard.  The  major  part  of  three  companies  will 
form  the  column.  Close  to  the  rear  of  it,  keeping  well  up,  will  be  the 
officer  who.se  turn  it  is  to  maintain  order  in  rear  of  the  main  body. 

The  rear  guard  will  consist  of  80  men  under  an  officer  selected  for  the 
day  to  protect  the  column  from  attacks  in  the  rear.  These  men  will  not 
be  loaded  with  anything  beyond  their  private  kits.  No  member  of  the 
Exi)edition  must  be  passed  by  the  rear  guard.  All  stragglers  mufct  be 
driven  on  at  all  costs,  because  the  person  left  behind  is  irretrievably  lost 
At  the  head  of  the  main  body  will  be  the  head-quarter  tents  and  private 
luggage,  immediately  succeeding  the  offlcei'  in  connnan.!.  This  officer 
will  also  have  to  be  on  the  alert  for  signals  by  trumpets,  to  connnunicate 
them  to  tliose  in  the  rear,  or  be  ready  to  receive  signals  from  the  front 
and  jmss  the  word  l)ehind. 

The  advance  guard  will  "  blaze  "  the  path  followed,  cut  down  obstruct- 
ing creepers,  and,  on  arrival  at  camp,  set  to  at  once  for  building  the  boniii 
or  bushfence.  As  fast  as  each  company  arrives  assistance  must  be  given 
tor  this  important  work  of  defence.    No  camj)  is  to  be  considered  comi)lete 

until  it  is  fenced  uround  by  i)ush 
or  trees.  Those  unemployed  in 
this  duty  will  erect  tents. 

The  lx)ma  must  be  round  with 
two  gates  well  masked  by  at 
least  five  yards  of  bush. 

The  diameter  of  the  camp 
should  be  about  250  feet.  Tents 
and  baggage  piled  in  the  centre, 
the  huts  will  range  around  an 
inner  circle  of  about  200  feet  in 
diameter. 

The  above  relates  only  to  the 
circumstances     attending     the 
transit  of  a  caravan  through  a 
dangerous  country,  unattended 
by  more  than  the  troubles  natu- 
rally arising  from  the  impulsive 
attacks  of  savages. 
Ihe  pulse  of  the  country  which  we  shall  traverse  will  be  felt  by  the 
advance  guard,  of  course.     If  the  obstacles  in  the  front  are  sericms,  and 
threaten  to  be  something  more  than  a  mere  imjnilse,  or  temporary, 
messages  will  be  sent  to  the  main  body  announcing  their  character. 

Wherever  ])racticable  we  shall  camj)  in  villages,  if  the  natives  have 
deserted  them,  for  the  sake  of  obtaining  food,  but  such  villages  mnst  1)0 
rendered  defensive  at  once.    Officers  should  rememlier  that  it  is  in  the: 


DIAGUAM   OF   OUR  FOREST   CAMPS. 


MEMORANDUM  FOR  OFFICERS  OF  ADVANCE  COLUMN.    131 

nature  of  their  black  soldiers,  Soudanese,  Somalis  or  Zanzilxiris,  to  bo 
thougiitless  and  inditt'erent,  to  scatter  tliemsclves  about  in  tlie  most  liee(i- 
less  ' manner.  Tliey  must  take  my  assurance  that  more  lives  are  lost  in 
this  mamier  than  by  open  warfare.  Therefore  their  men's  lives  I  consider 
are  in  the  liands  of  their  otiicers,  and  the  officer  who  will  not  relax  his 
energy  and  rigid  enforcement  of  orders  until  everything  is  made  snug  and 
tight  for  the  night,  will  be  the  most  valuable  assistant  in  this  Expedition 
for  me.  Arriving  at  the  intended  halting  i)lace  for  the  night,  if  a  village, 
the  officer  should  first  cast  his  eyes  al)out  for  lodgment  of  his  ])co))le ; 
select  such  as  will  be  uniform  with  those  already  occupied  by  the  preceding 
company,  and  those  to  be  occupied  by  the  succeeding  company  or  com- 
l)anies ;  then  turn  to  and  destroy  all  those  lying  without  the  occi;pied 
circle,  or  use  their  timbers,  all  material  in  the  vicinity  to  defend  his 
quarters  from  night  attack  by  fire  or  spear.  A  cue  will  be  given  when 
and  how  to  do  things  by  the  conduct  of  t'le  advance  guaril,  but  the 
officer  must  not  fail  to  ascertain  what  this  cue  is,  nor  wait  to  be  told 
every  petty  detail.  He  nmst  consider  himself  as  tiie  Father  of  his 
Company,  and  act  always  as  a  wise  leader  should  act. 

At  all  such  village  camps,  Lieutenant  Stairs  will  see  to  the  nightly 
guards  being  placed  at  the  more  accessible  points,  every  company  serving 
cut  details  as  may  be  necessary. 

During  the  first  week  we  will  not  attempt  any  very  long  marches,  that 
the  ))eople  and  onrselvci  may  be  1)roken  in  gently,  but  after  a  fourth  of 
the  distance  has  been  made  the  marches  will  sensibly  lengthen,  and  I 
anticipate  that,  before  the  half  of  the  journey  has  been  performed,  we  shall 
be  capable  of  making  wonderful  progress. 

Further  memoranda  will  be  furnished  when  necessary. 


Yambuya. 

June  2Gtl<,  1887. 


(Signed)  Henry  M.  Stanley. 

Coinmandin;/  Expedition. 


1R«7. 
.(iuk;  2(j. 

Vainljuya. 


m 


camp 
Tents 

centre, 
imd  an 

feet  in 

to  the 
ig  the 
(High  a 
ttended 
3S  natu- 
ipulsive 

by  the 
)us,  and 
iporary, 
!r. 

es  have 
must  1)0 
s  in  the 


I  close  this  chapter  with  a  quotation  from  my  diaiy 
made  on  the  hist  evening. 

"  Yainhui/a,  June  27th. — Our  men  claimed  a  holiday- 
to-day  because  it  had  been  deferred  until  the  steamers 
were  despatched,  and  the  camp  was  fortified  for  the 
prote(-tion  of  the  garrison.  Numbers  of  things  had  also 
to  l)e  done.  C(mij)anies  luul  to  be  re-organized,  since 
several  had  sickened  since  leaving  Bolobo,  the  weak  had 
to  be  picked  out,  and  the  four  c^ompanies  selected  for 
the  march  ought  to  be  in  as  perfect  condition  as  possible. 
Our  pioneer's  tools  rerp'-'cd  numbering.  Out  of  one 
hundred  bill-hooks  there  were  only  twenty-six,  out  of 
one  hundred  axes  there  were  left  twenty-two,  out  of  one 
liundred  hoes  there  were  only  sixty-one,  out  of  oiie 
lumdi'ed  shovels  there  were  but  sixty-seven.  All  the  rest 
had  l)een  stolen,  and  sold  to  the  nati^'"s  or  thrown  away. 
It  is  a  trying  work  to  look  after  such  reckless  people. 


4" 


132 


IN  DAIiKENT  AFRICA. 


h ,  ' 


m 


\^li\ 


1887.  '  Three  hundred  and  eighty-nine  souls  will  march  to- 

June  27.   jhq^i-qw — QqJ  permitting — into  the  al)solutely  unknown. 

am  uya.  pj.Qj^  ^  native  I   have    heard    of  names  of  tril)es,  or 

sections  of  tribes,  but  of  their  strength  or  dispositi(3n  I 

know  nothing. 

Yesterday  we  made  l)lood-brotherhood  with  one  of  tlie 
chiefs  of  Yambuya.  As  the  Major  was  Commandant  of 
the  post,  he  went  bravely  through  the  ceremony,  which 
was  particularly  disgusting.  On  th.^  flowing  blood  a 
pinch  of  dirty  salt  was  placed,  and  rtiis  had  to  be  licked. 
The  chief  performed  his  part  as  though  he  loved  it.  The 
Mtijor  looked  up  and  saw  the  cynical  faces  of  his  friends 
and  was  mortified. 

"  '  To  ensure  peace  ! ' 

"  '  Even  so,'  replied  the  Major,  and  sacrificed  his  taste. 

"  Tiiese  foi'est  natives  have  not  been  able  to  win  any 
great  regard  from  me  yet.  They  are  cowardly,  and  at 
the  same  time  vicious.  They  lie  oftener  than  any  open 
country  folk.  I  do  not  credit  any  statement  or  profes- 
sion made  by  them.  At  the  same  time  I  hope  that 
after  better  acquaintance  there  will  be  a  change.  This 
chief  received  a  liberal  gift  from  the  hand  of  the  J\Iajor, 
and  in  return  he  received  a  fortnight-old  chick  and  a 
feathered  bonnet  of  plaited  cane.  The  oft-promised 
goat  and  ten  fowls  had  not  yet  been  seen.  And  the 
blood  of  a  Soudanese  soldier  has  been  spilled,  and  we 
have  not  avenged  it.  We  are  either  so  poor  in  spirit,  or 
so  indifferent  to  the  loss  of  a  man,  that  a  stalwart  soldier, 
worth  twenty  of  these  natives,  can  be  slain  unavenged. 
Not  only  that,  but  we  entreat  them  to  come  often  and 
visit  us,  for  they  have  fish  and  goats,  fowls,  eggs,  and 
what  not  to  sell  of  which  we  would  be  buyers.  This 
perhaps  will  go  on  for  some  weeks  more. 

"  It  is  raining  to-night,  and  the  morrow's  march  will 
be  an  uncomfortable  one.  Stairs  is  so  sick  that  he 
cannot  move,  and  yet  he  is  anxious  to  accompany  us. 
It  is  rather  rash  to  undertake  carrying  a  man  in  his 
condition,  though,  if  death  is  the  issue,  it  comes  as  easy 
in  the  jungle  as  in  the  camp.  Dr.  Parke  has  made  me 
exceedingly  uncomfortable  by  saying  that  it  is  enteric 


DIVISION  OF  THE  RELIEF  EXPEDITION  AT  YAMIiUYA.  133 


.If 


fever.     I  lean  to  bilious  fever.     We  shall  put  him  in  a     i887. 
hammock  and  trust  for  a  favourable  issue."  "^"""^  ^^' 

The  Advance  F'orce  will  consist  of  : — 


Yambuya. 


No.  1  company 

.     118  men 

and  boys 

99  rifles 

.       'JO 

:1 

85    „ 

1)    '^        » 

.       90 

)J 

87    „ 

)i    ^        »» 

.       90 

)) 

86    „ 

Officers— Self 

jj 

„          Stairs 

» 

„         Nelson 

JJ 

„         Jeplison 

>J 

„          Parke 

JJ 

European  servant 

JJ 

389 

>J 

357    „ 

The  garrison  of  Yambuya  consists  of  : — 

Soudanese     . 

41  men 

44  rifles 

Zanzibaris     . 

71    „ 

38     „ 

Barttelof  s  servants 

. 

.      3    „ 

Jameson's        „ 

.      '^    J, 

Sowahis 

.       5    ., 

Sick  men 

•       '^    J, 

]}arttelot  personal!. 

i 

■       1     JJ 

3    „ 

Jameson          „ 

.       1     J, 

2    JJ 

129 


87 


11  will 
jit  he 
liy  us. 
In  his 

easy 
le  me 
kit  eric 


(*ontinoeiit    at    Bolobo    to   be   joined    to   garrison   of 
Yaml)uya  : — 

Zanzibaris 
John  Hose  Trouj^    . 
Herbert  Ward 
William  Bonny 


Advance  force    . 
Yambu'  a  pirrison 
Bolobo,  Kinsliassa,  ttc. 


128  men  and  boys 

52  rifles 

1 
1 
1 

•  • 

•  • 

131  men 

52      ,. 

.     389 

men 

357  rifles 

.     129 
.     131 

'  1 

52     .. 

Loss   of   men  from  Zanzibar  to) 
Yambuya         .         .         .         .  j 


('.40 


ot 


706 


490 


28 


r>o!i 


ft 


134 


1837. 
Juno  28. 

Yambuya. 


TN  DANKEST  AFRTrA. 


CHAPTER  VIL 

TO      P  A  N  a  A      FALL  .S„ 

An  African  road — Our  mode  of  travelling  tlirongli  the  forests — Fi'rewell 
to  .Jameson  and  the  Major — 160  days  in  tlie  forest — The  Kapids  of 
Yambnya — Attacked  by  natives  of  Yankonde — Rest  at  the  villaso 
of  Haliunpi— JJescrijition  of  our  march  -  The  poisoned  Skewers — ■ 
Ca])ture  of  six  Jiahali — Dr.  Parke  and  the  l>ees — A  tempest  in  the 
forest — Mr.  Jc])hson  puts  the  steel  boat  together— The  village  of 
Bukanda — Itefuse  heaps  of  the  villages — -Tlie  Aruwimi  river  scenery 
— Villagjs  of  the  JJakuti  and  the  Pakoka — The  Papids  of  (J-weng- 
were — The  boy  Pakula — Our  "  chop  and  coffee" — The  islands  near 
Pandangi— The  Paburu  dwarfs— The  unknown  course  of  the  river 
—The  tSoiualis— Partering  at  jMariri  and  Mu])e — The  Aruwimi  at 
Mujic — The  Babe  manners,  customs,  and  dress — Jephson's  two 
adventures— Was])  Papids — The  chief  of  the  Bwamburi — Our  camp 
at  My-yui — Canoe  accident — An  abandoned  village — Arrival  at 
Panga  Falls— Description  of  the  Falls. 

An  Afric'in  road  generally  is  a  foot- track  tramped  ])y 
travel  to  exceeding  siiKJotliness  and  liardnesoas  of  asphalt 
when  the  season  is  dry.  It  is  only  twelve  inches  wide 
from  the  ha])it  of  the  natives  to  travel  in  single  file  one 
after  another.  When  such  a  track  is  old  it  resembles  a 
winding  and  shallow  gutter,  the  centre  has  been  trodden 
oftener  than  the  sides — rain-water  has  rushed  along  and 
scoured  it  out  somewhat — the  sides  of  the  path  have  been 
raised  by  hunms  and  dust,  the  feet  of  many  passengers 
have  brushed  twigs  and  stones  and  pressed  the  dust  aside. 
A  straight  patli  would  be  shorter  than  the  usual  (me 
formed  by  native  travel  by  a  third  in  every  mile  on  an 
average.  This  is  something  like  what  we  hoped  to  meet 
in  defiling  out  of  the  gato  of  the  intrenched  camp  at 
Yambuya,  because  during  four  preceding  Expeditions  into 
Africa  we  had  never  failed  to  follow  suc^:  a  track  for 
hundreds  of  miler,.  Yambuya  consisted  of  a  series  of 
villages.     Their  inhabitants  nmst  have  neighbours  to  the 


^ 


AN  AFRICAN  ROAD. 


185 


>. 


Eastward  as  well  as  to  the  Southward  or  "Westward.  Why 
not  ? 

We  marched  out  of  the  f^ate,  company  after  ccmipany 
in  single  file.  Each  with  its  flag,  its  trumpeter  or 
drummer,  each  with  its  detail  of  supernumeraries,  with 
fifty  picked  men  as  advance  guard  to  handle  the  hillhook 
and  axe,  to  cut  saplings,  "  blaze,"  or  peel  a  portion  of  the 
bark  of  a  tree  a  hand's-breadth,  to  sever  the  leaves  and 
slash  at  the  rattan,  to  remove  all  obtrusive  l)ranches 
that  might  interfere  with  the  free  passage  of  the  hun- 


1S87. 
June  28. 

Yanibuya 


been 
tngers 
laside. 
h  (me 
Ion  an 

meet 
lup  at 
Is  into 

I'k  for 
lies  of 
Ito  the 


MARCHING  THROUGH  THE  FOREST. 


dreds  of  loaded  portei's,  to  cut  trees  to  lay  across  streams 
for  their  passage,  to  form  zeribas  o"  bom  as  of  l)ush  and 
branch  around  the  hutted  camp  at  the  end  of  tlie  day's 
travel.  The  advance  guard  are  to  find  a  path,  or,  if  none 
can  l)e  found,  to  choose  the  thinnest  portions  of  the 
jungle  and  tunnel  through  without  delay,  for  it  is  most 
fatiguing  to  stand  in  a  heated  atmosphere  with  a  weighty 
load  on  the  head.  If  no  thinner  jungle  can  be  found, 
then  through  anything,  however  impenetrable  it  may 
appear  ;  they  must  be  brisk — "  chap-chap  " — as  we  say,  or 
an  ominous  murmur  will  rise  from  the  impatient  carriers 


\ 
I 

i\ 


mm 


m 


1887. 
June  28. 

Yambuyn. 


P 


1 


186 


IN  DARKEST  AFlilCA. 


ln'hiiid.  They  must  l)e  clever  and  intelligent  in  wood- 
craft ;  a  oreenliorn,  or  as  we  call  him  "  goee-goee,"  must 
drop  his  hill-hook,  and  take  the  hale  or  box.  Three 
hundred  wearv  fellows  are  not  to  be  trilled  with,  thev 
must  be  brave  also — quick  to  repel  assault— arrows  are 
poisonous,  spears  are  deadly — their  eyes  must  be  quick 
to  search  the  gloom  and  shade,  with  sense  alert  to  recogni- 
tion, and  ready  to  act  on  the  moment.  Dawdlers  and 
goee-goees  are  unljearable  ;  they  must  be  yoang,  lithe, 
springy — my  300  l)ehind  me  have  no  rcgai'd  for  the 
ancient  or  the  <  )rpulent — they  would  be  smothered  with 
chaff  and  suffocated  witli  l)anter.  Scores  of  voices  would 
cry  out,  "  Wherein  lies  this  fellow's  merit  ?  Is  it  all  in 
his  stomach  ?  Nay,  it  is  in  his  wo(;den  back — tut — his 
liead  is  too  big  for  a  scout.  He  has  clearly  been  used  to 
hoeing.  What  does  the  field  hand  want  on  the 
Continent  ?  You  may  see  he  is  only  a  Banian  slave  ! 
Nay,  he  is  only  a  Consul's  freed  man  I  Bosh  !  he  is  a 
mission  boy."  Tlieir  bitter  tongues  pierce  like  swords 
through  the  armour  of  stupidity,  and  the  bill-hooks  with 
trenchant  edges  are  wielded  most  manfully,  and  the 
bright  keen  axes  flasli  and  sever  the  saplings,  or  slice  a 
broad  strip  of  bark  from  a  tree,  and  the  bush  is  pierced, 
and  the  jungle  gapes  open,  and  fast  on  their  heels  con- 
tinuously close  presses  the  mile-long  caravan. 

This  is  to  be  the  order,  and  this  the  method  of  the 
march,  and  I  have  stood  observing  the  files  pass  by  until 
the  last  of  the  rear  guard  is  out  of  the  camp,  and  the 
j\Iajor  and  Jameson  and  the  garrison  next  crowd  out  to 
exchanoe  the  farewell. 

"  Now,  Major,  my  dear  fellow,  we  are  in  for  it.  Neck 
or  nothing  !  Remember  your  promise  and  we  shall  meet 
before  many  months." 

"  I  vow  to  goodness.  I  shall  be  after  you  sharp.  Let 
me  once  get  those  fellows  from  Bolobo  and  nothing  shall 
stop  me." 

"  Well,  then,  God  bless  you — keep  a  stout  heart — and 
Jameson— old  man — the  same  to  you." 

Captain  Nelson,  who  heard  all  this,  stepped  up  in  his 
turn  to  take  a  parting  grasp,  and   I   strode  on   to  the 


11 


■  I 


ORDER    WHILE   MARCIIING    THROUGH  THE  FOREST.      137 

front,  while  the  Captain  phieed  himself  at  the  head  of  the     i8>*7. 

1  ^  ^  June  29. 

rear  guard. 

The  column  had  halted  at  tlie  end  of  the  villages  or    '""  "'**■ 
rather  the  road  that  Nelson  the  other  day  had  com- 
menced. 

"  Which  is  the  way,  guide  (  "  I  asked  to  probably 
the  proudest  soul  in  the  column — for  it  is  a  most 
exalted  position  to  be  at  the  head  of  the  line.  He  was 
in  a  (ireekish  costume  with  a  Greekish  helmet  a  la 
Achilles. 


THE   KIliAXGOZI,   OU   FOREMOST    MAX. 


Let 

1  shall 

-and 

n  his 
the 


"  This,  running  towards  tlie  sunrise,"  he  replied. 

"  How  many  hours  to  the  next  village  ?  " 

"  God  alone  knows,"  he  answered. 

"  Know  ye  not  one  village  or  country  beyond  here  ?" 

"  Not  one  ;  how  should  I  ?  "  he  asked. 

This  amounted  to  what  the  wisest  of  us  knew. 

"  Well,  then,  set  on  in  the  name  of  God.  and  (i!od  be 
ever  with  us.  Cling  t(j  any  trac'k  that  leads  by  the  river 
until  we  find  a  road." 

"  Bismillah  1"  echoed  the  pioneers,  the  Nubian  trumpets 


I 


138 


IX   PAnKEST  AFRICA. 


9>  ■■ 


Yambuya. 


1887.     l)lew  the  sigiiul  of  "  move  on,"  uiid  shortly  the  head  of 
June  28.   tlie  cohiiiiu  disappeared  iiito  the  thiek  Imsli  beyond  the 
utmost  Uoiuids  of  the  elearin<;s  of  Yamlmya. 

This  was  on  the  '2St\i  day  of  June,  and  until  the  5th 
of  ])e('eni])er,  for  1(10  days,  we  marched  through  the 
forest,  ))ush  and  jungle,  without  ever  having  seen  a  l»it 
of  oreensward  of  the  size  of  a  eottaoe  chamher  floor. 
Nothing  but  miles  and  miles,  endless  miles  of  forest,  in 
various  stages  of  growth  and  various  degrees  of  altitude, 
according  to  the  ages  of  the  trees,  with  varying  thickness 
of  undergrowth  according  to  the  character  of  the  trees 
which  afforded  thicker  or  slighter  shade.  It  is  to  the 
description  of  tlie  march  through  this  forest  and  to  its 
strange  incidents  I  propose  to  confine  myself  for  the  next 
few^  chapters,  as  it  is  an  absolutely  unknown  region 
opened  to  the  gaze  and  knowledge  of  civilized  man  for 
the  first  time  since  the  waters  disappeared  and  were 
ga  hered  into  the  seas,  and  the  earth  became  dry  land. 
Beseeching  the  reader's  patience,  I  promise  to  be  as  little 
tedious  as  possible,  though  there  is  no  other  manuscript 
or  missal,  printed  l)()ok  or  pamphlet,  this  spring  of  the 
year  of  our  Lord  1890,  that  contains  any  account  of  this 
reuion  of  horrors  other  than  this  book  of  mine. 

With  the  temperature  of  86°  in  the  shade  we  travelled 
along  a  path  very  infrequently  employed,  which  wound 
under  dark  depths  of  l)usli.  It  was  a  slow  process, 
interrupted  every  few  minutes  by  the  tangle.  The 
bill-hooks  and  axes,  plied  by  fifty  men,  were  constantly 
in  requisition ;  the  creepers  were  slashed  remorselessly, 
lengths  of  track  one  hundred  yards  or  so  were  as  fair 
as  similar  extents  were  difficult. 

At  noon  we  looked  round  the  elbow  of  the  Aruwimi, 
which  is  in  view  of  Yambuya,  and  saw  above,  about 
four  miles,  another  rapid  with  its  glancing  waters  as  it 
waved  in  rollers  in  the  sunshine  ;  the  rapids  of  Yambuya 
were  a  little  below  us.  Beneath  the  upper  rapids  quite 
a  fleet  of  canoes  hovered  al)out  it.  There  was  much 
movement  and  stir,  owdng,  of  course,  to  the  alarm  that 
the  Y^ambuyas  had  communicated  to  their  neighbours. 
At  4  P.M.  we  observed  that  the  point  we  had  gazed  at 


!l 


ATTACKED   BY  NATIVES    OF    YANKONhE. 


139 


^ellecl 
ound 
locess, 
The 
pntly 
essly, 
s  fair 


% 


abreast  of  the  rapids  consisted  of  islands.  These  were  1887. 
now  beinii;  crowded  with  the  women  and  children  of  •'""''-f.- 
Yankonde,  whom  as  yet  we  had  not  seen.  Aoout  a 
hundred  canoes  formed  in  the  stream  crowded  with 
native  warriors,  and  followed  the  movements  of  the 
column  as  it  appeared  and  disappeared  in  the  light  and 
into  the  shadows,  jeering,  mocking,  and  teasing. 

The  head  of  the  column  arrived  at  the  foot  of  a  broad 
cleared  road,  twenty  feet  wide  and  three  hundred  yards 
long,  and  at  the  further  end  pi'ol)al)ly  three  hundred 
nati^•es  of  the  town  of  Yankonde  stood  oesticulatinii^, 
shouting,  with  drawn  bows  in  their  hands.  \\\  all  my 
experience  of  Africa  1  had  seen  nothing  of  this  kind. 
The  pioneers  halted,  reflecting,  and  remarking  somewhat 
after  this  manner  :  "  What  does  this  moan  ?  The 
pagans  have  carved  a  l)road  highway  out  of  the  bush 
to  their  town  for  us,  and  yet  there  they  are  at  the  other 
end,  ready  for  a  fight !  It  is  a  trap,  lads,  of  some  Liiid, 
so  look  sharp." 

With  the  bush  they  had  cut  they  had  l)anked  and 
blocked  all  passage  to  the  forest  on  either  side  of  the 
road  for  some  distance.  But,  with  fifty  pairs  of  sharp 
eyes  searching  around  above  and  below,  we  were  not 
long  in  finding  that  this  apparent  highway  through  the 
bush  bristled  with  skewers  six  inches  long  sharpened  at 
both  ends,  which  were  driven  into  the  ground  lialf  their 
length,  and  slightly  covered  with  green  leaves  so  care- 
lessly thrown  over  them  that  w^e  had  thought  at  first 
these  strewn  leaves  were  simply  the  eftect  of  clearing  bush. 

Forming  two  lines  of  twelve  men  across  the  road,  the 
first  line  was  ordered  to  pick  out  the  skewers,  the 
second  line  was  ordered  to  cover  the  workers  with  their 
weapons,  and  at  the  first  arrow  shower  to  fire.  A 
dozen  scouts  were  sent  on  either  flank  of  the  road 
to  make  their  way  into  the  village  through  the  woods. 
AVe  had  scarcely  advanced  twenty  yards  along  the 
cleared  way  before  volumes  of  smoke  broke  out  of  the 
town,  and  a  little  cloud  of  arrows  came  towards  us,  but 
falling  short.  A  volley  was  returned,  the  skewers 
were  fast  being  picked  out,  and  an  advance  was  steadily 


uo 


IN   DAIiKKSr  AFUWA. 


Hill 


1887.     mack'   until   we   rcacluMl    tlie   villa<»e  at   the  same  time 

Junu  28.    ^jij^j.   j-jj^^  scouts  I'u.slied  out   of  tlie   undci'Wood,  and   as 

°"^''  all    the   {)ion('(M's  were  i)us1umI    forward   the    tirin^'  was 

pretty  lively,  under  cover  of  which  the  cai'avan  pressed 

throu<;h  the  burnin*.^'  town  to  a   village  at  its  eastern 

extremity,  a.s  yet  untiicd. 

Along  the  river  the  tiring  was  more  deadly.  The 
very  noise  was  sufficient  to  frighten  a  foe  so  prone  as 
savages  to  rely  on  the  teri'ors  of  sound,  ])ut  unfortu- 
nately the  noise  was  as  hurtful  as  it  was  alarming. 
Very  many,  I  fear,  paid  the  penalty  of  the  foolish 
challenge.  The  Mame  is  undouhtedlv  due  to  the 
Yamhuvas,  who  must  have  invented  fables  of  the 
most  astounding  character  to  cause  their  neighbours 
to  attempt  stopping  a  force  of  nearly  four  hunch-ed 
rifles. 

It  was  nearly  9  r.M.  before  the  rear-guard  entered 
camp.  Throughout  the  night  the  usual  tactics  were 
resorted  to  by  the  savages  to  create  alarm  and  distui'b- 
ance,  such  as  vertically  dropping  assegais  and  arrows 
heavily  tip})ed  with  poiscm,  with  sudden  cries,  whoops, 
howls,  menaces,  sinndtaneous  blasts  of  horn-l)]owing 
from  different  (juarters,  as  though  a  general  attack  was 
bout  to  be  ma<le.  Strangers  unac([uainted  with  the 
craftiness  of  these  forest  satyrs  might  l)e  pardoned  for 
imagining  that  daylight  only  was  required  for  our  com- 
plete extermination.  Some  of  these  tactics  I  knew 
l)efore  in  younger  (hiys,  ])ut  there  was  still  something 
to  l)e  gleaned  from  the  craft  of  these  pure  pagans. 
The  camp  was  surrounded  l)y  sentries,  and  the  only 
orders  given  were  to  keep  strict  silence  and  sharpen 
their  eyesight. 

In  the  morning  a  narrow  escape  was  reported.  A 
man  liad  wakened  to  find  a  spear  buried  in  the  earth, 
penetrating  his  sleeping  cloth  and  mat  on  each  side 
of  him,  slightly  pinning  him  to  his  l)edding.  Two  were 
slightly  wounded  with  arrows. 

We  wandered  al)out  for  ten  minutes  or  so  looking 
for  a  track  next  morning,  and  at  last  discovered  one 
leading  through  a  vast  square  mileage  of  manioc  fields, 


DEScnirnoN  of  ont  MAJicn  from  vaxkom)/:.     141 


:liiiig 
loans, 
only 
|irpen 

A 

larth. 
side 
hvere 

iking 

one 

Lekls, 


an<I  at  the  little  village  of  iiahunga,  four  miles  S. K.  of 
Yankonde,  we  gladly  rested,  our  object  Ix'iiig  not  to 
rush  at  first  sotting  out  after  a  long  I'iver  voyage,  lait 
to  rt"custoni  the  [)eo|)le  little  l»y  little  to  the  long 
j(airney  before  them 

On  the  MOth  we  lit  on  a  path  which  connected  a 
series  of  fourteen  villages,  each  se[)arate  and  in  line, 
surrounded  hy  their  res[)eetive  fields,  luxuriant  with 
crops  of  manioc,  or,  as  some  call  it,  the  cassava.  We 
did  not  fail  to  observe,  however,  that  some  disaster 
had  occurred  many  months  before,  judging  froni  the 
traces.  The  villages  we  })assed  through  wen;  m(»stly 
newly  built,  in  the  sharp,  conical — candle-extinguisher 
— or  rather  four-angled  spiry  ty[)e  ;  burnt  poles,  ruins 
of  the  former  villages,  marked  the  sites  of  foi-mer 
dwelling's.  Here  and  there  were  blazings  on  trees, 
and  then  I  knew  that  Arabs  and  Manyuema  nuist  have 
visited  here — probably  Tipjai-Tib's  brother. 

The  following  day  our  march  was  thi'ough  a  similar 
series  of  villages,  twelve  in  number,  with  a  connnon, 
well-trodden  track  running  from  one  to  anothe)'.  In 
this  distance  sections  of  the  [)rimeval  forest  separated 
each  village  ;  along  the  track  were  pitfalls  forsonie  kind 
of  large  forest  game,  or  bow-traps  fixed  for  small  animals, 
such  as  rabbits,  scpiirrels,  rats,  small  monkeys.  In  tlie 
neighbourhood  of  each  village  the  skewers  were  plentiful 
in  the  o-round,  l>ut  as  vet  no  hurt  had  l>een  received 
from  them. 

Another  serious  inconvenience  of  forest  travel  was 
experienced  on  this  day.  Every  fifty  yards  or  so  a  great 
tree,  its  diameter  breast  high,  lay  prostrate  across  the 
path  over  which  the  donkeys  had  to  be  assisted  with  a 
frequeney  that  was  becoming  decidedly  annoying. 
Between  twenty  and  fifty  of  these  had  to  be  climbed 
over  by  hundreds  of  men,  not  all  of  whcmi  were  e(paally 
expert  at  this  novel  travelling,  and  these  obstructions  by 
the  delays  thus  occasioned  began  to  be  ctmiplained  of  as 
very  serious  impediments.  The  main  approaches  to  the 
many  villages  were  studded  with  these  poisoned  skewers, 
winch  made  every  one  except  the   booted  whites  tread 


18«7. 
Juno  '28. 

iinkonJe. 


WW 


i 


Ifll 


ff.' 


h'li 


1887. 
July  1. 

Yankoncle. 


142 


7.V  DAliKE^ST  AFlilCA. 


W\ 


most  <>iiigerly.  Nor  could  the  Europeans  be  altogether 
inditiereut,  for,  slightly  leaning,  the  skewer  was  (|uite 
capable  of  piercing  the  thickest  boot-leather  and  burying 
the  splinters  of  its  head  deej)  in  the  foot — an  agony  of 
so  dreadful  a  nature  that  was  worth  the  trouble  of 
ffuardinfj;  against. 

At  3  P.M.  we  camped  near  some  pools  overhung  by 
water  lilies  far  removed  from  a  village,  having  had  three 
wounded  durin<»;  the  traverse  throuoh  the  settlements. 

This  morning,  about  three  hours  before  dawn,  the  camp 
was  wakened  by  howls,  and  loud  and  continued  horn- 
blowing.  These  were  shortly  after  hushed,  and  the 
voices  of  two  men  were  heard  so  clear  and  distinct  that 
many  like  myself  attempted  to  pierce  the  intense  dark- 
ness in  the  vain  etibrt  to  see  these  midnioht  orators. 

The  first  Speaker  said,  "  Hey,  strangers,  where  are  you 

going? 

The  Parasite  echoed,  "  Yviiere  are  you  going?  " 

Speaker.     This  country  has  no  welcome  for  you. 

Paraf<ite.  No  welcome  for  you. 

Speaker.     All  men  will  be  agiinst  you. 

Parasite.  Against  you. 

Speaker.     And  you  will  be  surely  .slain. 

Parasite.  Surely  slain. 

Speaker.     Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-aah. 

Parasite.    Ah-ah-aaah. 

Speaker.     Uoli-ooh-o(^h-ooli-ooooh. 

Parasite.    ( )oli-ooh-oo!  »oooli. 

Tliis  parasite  was  such  a  palpal  )le  parasite,  with  such 
a  sense  of  humour — that  it  raised  such  a  chorus  of 
laughter  so  sudden,  startling,  and  abrupt,  that  scared 
speaker  and  parasite  away  in  precipitate  haste. 

At  dawn  of  the  2nd,  feeling  somewhat  uneasy  at  the 
fact  that  the  track  which  ))rouglit  us  to  these  pools  was 
not  made  by  man  but  by  elephants,  and  feelnig  certain 
that  the  people  had  made  no  provision  of  f()t)d  ])eyond 
the  day,  I  sent  200  men  back  to  the  villages  to  procure 
eacli  a  load  of  manioc.  By  the  manner  these  men  per- 
formed this  duty,  the  reflection  came  uito  my  mind  that 
they  had  little  or  no  reasoning  faculties,  and  that  not  a 


• 


iftf 


DR.    PARKE  AXD    THE  DEES. 


148 


"OU 


.such 
lus  of 
cared 

t  the 
f^  was 
'I'taiii 
.yoiul 
Dcure 
per- 
that 
not  a 


half  of  the  389  people  then  in  the  camp  ^v'oukl  emerge 
out  of  Africa.  They  were  now  brimful  of  life  and 
vitality — their  rifles  were  perfect,  their  accoutrements 
w^ere  new,  and  each  possessed  10  rounds  of  cartridges. 
With  a  little  care  fcjr  their  own  selves  and  a  small  por- 
tion of  prudence,  there  was  no  reason  why  they  should 
not  nearly  all  emerge  safe  and  sound,  but  they  wei'e  so 
crude,  stolid,  unreasoning,  that  orders  and  instructions 
were  unheeded,  except  when  under  actual  supervision, 
and,  to  supervise  them  eiiectually,  I  should  require  100 
Eno'lish  officers  of  similar  intellioence  and  devotion  to 
the  four  then  wdth  me.  In  the  meantime  they  will  lose 
their  lives  for  trifles  wdiich  a  little  sense  would  avoid, 
and  until  some  frightful  calamity  overtakes  them  I  shall 
never  l)e  able  thoroughly  to  impress  on  their  minds  that 
to  l(>se  life  foolishly  is  a  crime. 

A  party  of  scouts  were  also  sent  ahead  along  the  track 
to  observe  its  general  direction,  and,  about  the  same  time 
that  the  foragers  returned,  the  scouts  returned,  having 
captured  six  natives  in  the  forest.  They  belonged  to  a 
tribe  called  the  Babali,  and  were  of  a  light  chocolate  in 
hue,  and  were  found  forming  traps  for  game. 

As  we  endeavoured  to  draw  from  them  some  informa- 
tion respecting  the  country  to  which  the  track  led,  they 
said,  "  We  have  but  one  heart.  Don't  you  have  two," 
which  meant.  Do  not  speak  so  fairly  to  us  if  you  mean 
any  harm  to  us,  and  like  all  natives  they  asserted 
strongly  that  they  did  not  eat  human  meat,  but  that  the 
custom  was  practised  ])y  the  Babanda,  Babali,  Babukwa 
tribes,  occupying  the  bank  of  the  Aruwimi  al)ove  Yan- 
konde. 

Soon  after  this  interview  with  the  natives,  Dr.  Parke, 
observing  the  l)ees  whicli  fluttered  alxnit,  had  mentioned 
to  one  of  his  brother  officers  that  he  did  not  think  they 
stung  at  all,  upon  which  at  the  same  moment  a  vicious 
bee  settling  in  his  neck  drove  its  sting  into  it  to  [)unish 
him  for  his  scornful  libel.  He  then  came  to  me  and 
reported  the  fact  as  a  good  joke,  whereupon  a  second  bee 
attacked  and  wounded  him  almost  in  the  same  spot, 
<lra\ving  from  him  an  exclamation  of  pain.     "  By  Jove  ! 


1KH7. 
July  2. 

V'aukucda 


1887. 
July  2, 

Yankonde. 


li 


Hi 


144 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


but  they  do  sting  awfully,  though."     "  Just  so,"  said  I ; 
"nothing  like  experience  to  stimulate  reason." 

After  distributing  the  manioc,  with  an  injunction  to 
boil  the  roots  three  times  in  different  /aters,  we 
resumed  the  march  at  1  p.m.  and  camped  at  4  o'clock. 

The  next  day  left  the  track  and  struck  through  the 
huge  towering  forest  and  jungly  undergrowth  by  compass. 
My  position  in  this  column  was  the  third  from  the 
leader,  so  that  I  could  dire(,'t  the  course.  In  order  to 
keep  a  steady  movement,  even  if  slow,  I  had  to  instruct 
the  cutters  that  each  man  as  he  walked  should  choose 
an  obstructing  lliane,  or  o])trusive  branch  of  bush,  and 
give  one  sharp  cut  and  pass  on — the  two  head  men  were 
confining  themselves  to  an  effective  and  broad  "  blaze  " 
on  the  trees,  everv  ten  vards  or  so,  for  the  benefit  of  the 
column,  and,  as  the  rear  party  would  not  follow  us 
for  perhaps  two  months,  we  were  very  particular  that 
these  "  blazes  "  slujuld  be  quite  a  hand's-breadth  peel  of 
bark. 

Naturally  penetrating  a  trackless  wild  for  the  first 
time  the  march  was  at  a  funereal  pace,  in  some  places  at 
the  rate  of  400  yards  an  hour,  in  other  more  open 
portions,  that  is  of  less  undeigrowth,  we  could  travel 
at  the  rate  of  half,  three-(|uarters,  and  even  a  mile  per 
liour^ — so  that  frcmi  C.'iO  A.M.  to  11  a.m.  when  we  halted 
for  lunch  and  rest,  and  frcmi  12.30  p.m.,  to  3  o'ch)ck  or 
4  P.M.  in  from  six  to  seven  hours  per  day,  w^e  could 
make  a  march  of  about  five  miles.     On  the  usual  African 


track  seen  in  other 


regions  we  could 


have  sone  from 


fourteen  to  eighteen  miles  during  the  same  time. 
Therefore  our  object  was  to  keep  by  settlements,  not 
only  to  be  assured  of  food,  but  in  the  hope  of  utilizing 
the  native  roads.     We  shall  see  later  how  we  fare<l. 

At  4  P.M.  of  this  day  we  were  still  on  the  march, 
having  passed  through  a  wilderness  of  creeks,  mud,  thick 
scum-faced  ([uagmires  green  with  duckweed  into  which 
we  sank  knee-deep,  and  the  stencli  exhaled  from  the 
fetid  slough  was  most  sickening.  We  had  just  emerged 
out  of  this  baneful  stretch  of  marsliv  uround,  int(>rsccted 
by  lazy  creeks  and  shallow  long  stream-sjiaped    r)()ols, 


A    TEMPEST  7.V   THE  FOREST. 


145 


'\ 


when  the  forest  Itecame  suddenly  darkened,  so  (hirk 
tliat  I  fould  scarcely  read  the  compass,  and  a  distant 
murmur  increasing  into  loud  soughing  and  wrestling  and 


1887. 
July  3. 

Yankontid 


tossincr   of    branches    and 


flfroaning 


of    mighty    trees 


warned  us  of  the  approach  of  a  tempest.  As  the 
ground  round  a})out  was  most  uninviting,  we  had  to 
press  on  through  the  increasing  gloom,  and  then,  as  the 
rain  began  to  drip,  we  commenced  to  form  camp.  The 
tents  were  hastily  pitched  over  the  short  scrubby  bush, 
while  bill-hooks  crashed  and  axes  rang,  clearing  a 
spa(^e  for  the  camp.  The  rain  was  cold  and  heavily 
dripped,  and  every  drop,  large  as  a  dollar  on  their 
cotton  clothes,  sent  a  shiver  through  the  men.  The 
thunder  roared  above,  the  lightning  flashed  a  vivid 
light  of  fire  through  the  darkness,  and  still  the  weary 
hunorv  caravan  filed  in  until  9  o'clock.  The  rain  was 
s(^  heavy  that  fires  could  not  be  lit,  and  until  three  in 
the  morning  we  sat  huddled  and  crouching  amid  the 
cold,  damp,  and  reeking  exhalations  and  minute  spray. 
Then  bonfires  were  kindled,  and  around  these  scores  of 
flaming  pyramids  the  people  sat,  to  be  warmed  into 
hilarious  animation,  to  roast  the  bitter  manioc,  and  to 
still  the  gnawing  pain  of  their  stomachs. 

On  the  4th  we  struck  N.  by  E.,  and  in  an  hour 
heard  natives  singing  in  concert  afar  off.  We  sent 
scouts  ahead  to  ascertain  what  it  meant.  We  presently 
heard  firing  which  seemed  to  approach  nearer.  We 
mustered  the  men  in  the  nearest  company,  stacked 
goods  and  deployed  them  as  skirmishers.  Then  mes- 
sengers came  and  reported  that  the  scouts  had  sti'uck 
the  river,  and,  as  tliey  were  looking  upon  it,  a  canoe 
advanced  into  view  with  its  crew  standing  with  drawn 
bows  and  fixed  arrows,  which  were  fiown  at  them  at 
once,  and  conijjelU'd  the  scouts  to  tire.  We  then 
resumed  the  march,  and  at  8  a.m.  we  were  on  the  river 
again,  in  time  to  see  a  line  of  native  canoes  disa})pearing 
round  a  bend  on  the  opposite  bank,  and  one  canoe 
al>an<loned  tied  to  the  ))ank  with  a  goat. 

Observing  that  the  river  was  caln>  and  free  fnnn 
ra.pids,  and  desirous  of  saving  the  people  from  as  much 

VOL.  I.  Ji 


1887i 
July  4. 

Yankonde. 


I 


146 


IN  DARKEST  AFIilCA. 


V  '   \ 


laliour  as  cirfumstanoes  would  ofter,  the  steel  boat 
sections  were  brouglit  up  to  the  bank,  and  Mr.  Jephson, 
whose  company  had  special  charge  of  the  Achruicf, 
commenced  to  fit  the  sections  together.  In  an  h<jur 
the  forty-four  burdens,  which  the  vessel  formed,  had 
been  attached  together  and  fitted  to  their  respective 
places  and  launched.  As  the  boat  weighed  forty-four 
loads  and  had  a  capacity  of  fifty  loads,  and  at  least  ten 
sick,  we  could  then  release  ninety-eight  jjeople  from  the 
fatigue  of  bearing  loads  and  carrying  Lieutenant  Stairs, 
who  was  still  very  ill.  Mr.  Jephs(jn  and  crew  were 
despatclied  across  river  and  the  goat  secured. 

As  the  Advance  was  in  the  river,  it  was  necessary 
for  the  column  to  cling  to  the  liank.  not  only  for  the 
protection  of  the  Ijoat,  l)ut  to  be  able  to  utilize  the 
stream  for  lessening  lal)our.  AVant  of  regular  food, 
lack  of  variety,  and  its  poor  nutritive  (qualities,  coupled 
with  the  uroencv  which  drove  us  on,  reciuiriny'  lon«>' 
marches  and  their  resulting  fatigue,  would  soon  diminish 
the  strength  of  the  stoutest.  A  due  regard  for  the 
people  therefore  must  be  shown,  and  e^■ery  means 
available  for  their  assistance  must  be  employed.  There- 
fore, the  boat  keeping  pace  with  the  column,  we 
travelled  up-stream  until  '^  p.m.  and  camped. 

On  the  5th  the  boat  and  column  move*!  up.  as  on 
the  day  previous,  and  made  six-and-half  miles.  The 
river  continued  to  be  from  500  to  800  yards  wide.  The 
bank  was  a  trifie  more  open  than  Ji  the  interior, 
though  frequently  it  was  impossil)le  to  move  before 
an  impenetrable  mass  of  jungle  had  been  tunnelled  to 
allow  our  passage  under  the  vault  of  close  network  of 
branch  and  climber,  cane,  and  i;>ed  al)ove.  At  2.i30  we 
reached  the  village  of  liukanda.  A\  e  had  come  across 
no  track,  but  had  simply  l)urst  out  of  the  bush  and  a 
somewhat  young  forest  with  a  clearing.  In  the  middle 
of  the  clearing  by  the  river  side  was  the  village.  This 
fact  made  me  think,  and  it  suggested  that  if  tracks  were 
not  discovei'able  by  land,  and  as  the  people  were  not 
known  to  possess  the  ])o\vcr  of  aerial  locomotion,  that 
communication  was  maintained  by  water. 


•=5 

C 
50 
B 


.  1  )oat 
plisoii, 
Ivmicc, 
hour 
1,  had 
jective 
:y-f<)iir 
:ist  ten 
jm  the 
Stairs, 

V  were 

I'essaiy 
For  the 
ize  the 

V  food, 
•oupled 
o-  hjiio' 
imiiiish 
for  the 

means 
There- 
in,   we 

as  on 


Tl 
Tl 


le 
le 


|i  tenor, 
jefore 
llled  t 


•or 


() 


k  of 

,30  we 

aeross 

and  a 

hUe 

This 


niK 


IS 


O 

tr 

> 
C 

ft 

> 

Si 


ft 


]s  were 
Ire   not 
that 


'  'I 


tl 


THE    VILLAGE   OF   THE  DUKAXDA. 


149 


I 


We  had  reason  to  rejoice  at  the  discovery  of  a  village, 
for  since  the  2nd  the  caravan  'subsisted  on  such  tubei'S 
of  manioc  as  each  man  took  with  him  on  that  date. 
Had  another  day  passed  without  meeting  with  a 
clearing  we  should  have  suffered  from  hunger. 

It  was  evening  l)efore  the  ])oat  appeared,  the  passage  of 
rapids  and  an  adventure  with  a  flotilla  of  eleven  canoes 
had  detained  her.  The  canoes  had  been  al)andoned  in 
consequence,  and  the  commander  of  the  boat  had  secured 
them  to  an  island.  One  was  reported  to  be  a  (.-apacious 
hollow  log,  capable  of  carrying  nearly  as  much  as  the 
l)oat.  Since  the  river  was  the  hiohwav  of  the  natives, 
we  should  be  wise  to  employ  the  stream,  by  which  we 
should  save  our  men,  and  carrv  our  sick  as  well  as  a 
reserve  of  food.  For  we  had  been  narrowly  In'ought  to 
the  vercfe  of  want  on  the  last  dav,  and  we  were  utter 
strangers  in  a  strange  land,  groping  our  way  through 
darkness.  The  boat  was  sent  l)ack  with  an  extra  crew 
to  sec;ure  the  canoe  and  paddle  her  up  to  our  camp. 

Of  course  Bukanda  had  been  abandoned  long  ))ei.  re 
we  reached  it — -the  village  of  cone  huts  was  at  (ur 
disposal — the  Held  of  manioc  also.  This  custom  also 
was  unlike  anything  I  had  seen  in  Africa  before. 
Previously  the  nati\'es  may  have  retired  witli  their 
women,  but  the  males  had  remained  with  spear  and  target, 
representing  ownership.  Here  the  very  fowls  had  taken 
to  Might.  It  was  clearly  a  region  unsuitable  for  rlie 
study  of  ethnolog}'. 

At  noon  of  the  fith  we  defiled  out  of  Bukanda 
refurnished  with  provisions,  and  two  hours  later  were  in 


amp 


m 


uninhabited    space.       We    had    devoted    the 


mornmo- 


to    el 


eanniii' 


wliose  spruigs  were 


1  )rol> 


anc 
ven. 


1 


•ept 


ill 


urino-    rinos — manv    o 


f 


8^ 


ome  facts  had  alreadv   impressed  themselves  unr 


up( 


)n 


us.  We  observed  that  the  mornings  were  muggy  and 
misty — that  we  were  chilly  and  inclined  to  l)e  cheerless 
in  consequence  ;  that  it  re(|uired  some  moral  < oui-age  to 
leave  camp  to  l)rave  the  cold,  damp,  and  fogginess 
without,  to  brave  the  mud  and  slush,  to  ford  creeks  up 
to  the  waist  in  water ;   that  the  feelings  were  terribly 


July  5. 
Bukanda^ 


150 


IN  DAIIKEST  AFHICA. 


1887. 
July  6. 

Bukanda. 


f      i!' 
» 


IN  '! 


1 1 


i      I 


depressed  in  the  dismal  twilioht  from  the  want  of 
brightness  and  sunsliine  warmth  ;  and  the  depres- 
sion caused  by  the  som})re  clouds  and  dull  grey 
river  which  reflected  the  drear  davlioht.  The  actual 
temperature  on  these  cold  mornings  was  but  seventy 
to  seventy-two  degrees — had  we  judged  of  it  by  our 
cheerlessness  it  might  have  been  twenty  degrees  less. 

The  refuse  I'eaps  of  the  little  villao-es  were  large  and 
piled  (  th'  .'ge  of  the  bank.  They  were  a  compost  of 
filth,  sv  'j'Uivr'  of  streets  and  huts,  peelings  of  manioc, 
and  oftei-  "  vL.ntains  with  a  high  heap  of  oyster-shells. 
Had  I  not  mur;  else  to  write  about,  an  interestino' 
chapter  on  these  composts,  and  the  morals,  manners, 
and  usages  of  the  aborigines  might  be  written.  Just 
as  Owen  could  prefigure  an  extinct  mammoth  of  the 
dead  ages  from  the  view  of  a  few  bones,  the  history  of 
a  tribe  could  be  developed  by  me  out  of  these  refuse 
heaps.  Revelling  in  these  fetid  exhalations  were 
representatives  of  many  insect  tribes.  Columns  of  ants 
wound  in  and  out  with  more  exact  formation  than 
aborigines  could  compose  themselves,  fiies  buzz  in 
myriads  over  the  heaps,  with  the  murmur  of  enjoyment, 
butterfiies  which  would  have  delighted  Jameson's  soul 
swarmed  exulting  in  their  gorgeous  colours,  and  a 
perfect  cloud  of  moths  hovered  above  all. 

The  villages  of  the  Bakuti  were  reached  on  the  7th, 
after  seven  hours'  slow  marchinor  and  incessant  cuttino-. 
I  occupied  a  seat  in  the  boat  on  this  day  and  observed 
that  the  banks  were  from  six  to  ten  feet  above  the 
river  on  either  side,  that  there  were  numerous  traces  of 
former  occupation  easily  detected  despite  the  luxuriance 
of  the  young  forest  that  had  grown  up  and  usurped 
the  space  once  occupied  by  villages  and  fields  ;  that  either 
wars  or  epidemics  had  disturlied  the  inhabitants  twenty 
years  ago,  and  that  as  yet  only  one  crocodile  had  been 
seen  on  the  Aruwimi,  and  only  one  hippo,  which  I  took 
to  be  a  sure  sign  that  there  was  not  much  pasture 
in  this  region. 

As  the  rowers  urged  the  boat  gently  up  the  stream, 
and   I    heard    the    bill-hookr    and   axes   carving   away 


THE  SCENERY   ON   THE  ARVWIMI  BANKS. 


151 


7tll, 


rtam, 
away 


tln-oiigli    bush    and    brake    tangle    and    forest   without     1887. 
which  scarcely  a  yard   of  progress   could   be  made,  I    ''"^^  ']• 
regretted  more  than   ever  that  I   had  not  insisted  v  ;    ^'*''"*'- 
})eing  allowed   to  carry  out    my    own  plan    of  havi> ,/ 
fifteen  whale-boats.     What  toil  would  have  been  saved, 
and  what  anxiety  would  have  Ijcen  spared  me. 

On  the  9th  we  gained,  after  another  seven  hours' 
toiling  and  marching,  the  villages  of  the  Bakoka. 
Already  the  people  began  to  look  jaded  and  seedy. 
Skewers  had  penetrated  the  feet  of  several,  ulcers 
began  to  attract  notice  l)y  their  growing  virulence, 
many  people  complained  of  cur  us  affections  in  the 
limbs.     Stairs  was  slowly  recover,  ig. 

We  had  passed  so  many  abanr^one'i  clearings  that  our 
expedition  might  have  been  sunp;>rted  for  weeks  by  the 
manioc  which  no  owner  claimed.  It  was  verv  clear  that 
internecine  strife  had  caused  tlie  migrations  of  the 
Tribes.  The  Bakoka  villages  vere  all  stockaded,  and 
the  entrance  gates  were  extremely  low. 

The  next  day  we  passed  by  four  villages  all  closely 
stockaded,  and  on  the  lOtli  came  to  the  rapids  of 
Gwencrwere'.  Here  there  were  seven  laroe  villaf»;es 
bordering  the  rapids  and  extending  from  below  to  above 
the  broken  water.  All  the  population  had  fled  probably 
to  the  opposite  main,  or  to  the  islands  in  mid-river,  and 
every  portable  article  was  carried  away  except  the 
usual  wreckage  of  coarse  pottery,  stools,  and  benches, 
and  back  rests.  The  stockades  were  in  "ood  order  and 
villao'es  intact.  In  one  larfje  villaoe  there  were  210 
conical  huts,  and  two  square  sheds  used  for  public 
assemblies  and  smithies.  This  occupied  a  commanding 
bluff  sixty  feet  above  the  river,  and  a  splendid  view  of 
a  dark  grey  silver  stream,  flanked  by  dense  and  lofty 
walls  of  thickest  greenest  vegetation,  was  obtained. 

Lieutenant  Stairs  was  fast  recovering  from  his  long 
attack  of  bilious  fever  ;  my  other  compani(jns  enjoyed  the 
best  of  health,  though  our  diet  consisted  of  vegetables, 
leaves  of  the  manioc  and  herbs  bruised  and  made  into 
patties.  But  on  this  day  we  had  a  dish  of  weaver- 
birds  furnished  by  the  Doctor,   who  with  his  shot-gun 


162 


IN  BAUKKST  AFRICA. 


1887. 
July  10. 

Gweng- 
were. 


!    I 


|l       \ 


baijoed  a  few  of  the  thousands  which  had  made  their 
nests  on  the  vilhige  trees. 

On  the  1 1th  we  marched  about  a  mile  to  give  the  canoe- 
men  a  chance  to  pole  their  vessels  through  the  rapids 
and  the  <'olumn  a  rest.  The  dav  following'  marched  six 
geographical  miles,  the  river  turning  easterly,  which  was 
our  course.  Several  small  rapids  were  passed  witliout 
accident.  As  we  were  disappearing  from  view  of 
Gwengwere',  the  population  was  seen  scurrying  from 
the  right  bank  and  islands  back  to  their  homes,  which 
they  had  temporarily  vacated  for  our  convenience.  It 
seemed  to  me  to  Ije  an  excellent  arrangement.  It  saved 
trouble  of  speech,  exerted  possibly  in  useless  efforts  for 
peace  and  tedious  chaffer.  They  had  only  one  night's 
inconvenience,  and  were  tliere  many  caravans  advancing 
as  peacea])ly  as  we  weie,  natural  curiosity  would  in  time 
induce  them  to  come  forward  to  be  ac(juainted  with  the 
strangers. 

Our  people  found  al)undant  to  eat  in  the  fields,  and 
around  the  villages.  The  area  devoted  to  cultivation 
was  extensive  :  plantains  flourished  around  the  stock- 
ades ;  herbs  for  potage  were  found  in  little  plots  close  to 
the  viUages  ;  also  sufficient  tobacco  for  smoking,  and 
pumpkins  for  dessert,  and  a  little  Indian  corn  ;  l)ut,  alas, 
we  all  suffered  from  want  of  meat. 

There  were  few  aquatic  l)irds  to  be  seen.  There  were 
some  few^  specimens  of  di^'ers,  fish  eagles,  and  king- 
fishers. Somewhere,  at  a  distance,  a  pair  of  i])is  screamed  ; 
flocks  of  parrots  whistled  and  jal)l)ered  in  vain  struggles 
to  rol)  the  solitude  of  the  vast  trackless  forest  of  its 
oppressive  silence  ;  whip-poor-wills,  and  sunbirds,  and 
weavers  aided  them  with  their  varied  strains  ;  ])ut  insects, 
and  flies,  and  moths  were  innuniera])le. 

On  the  12th  we  moved  up  as  usual,  starting  at  G..30  a.m., 
the  caravan  preceding  the  boat  and  its  consorts.  Though 
proceeding  only  at  the  rate  of  a  mile  and  a  half  per 
hour,  we  soon  overhauled  the  struggling  caravan,  and 
passed  the  foremost  of  the  pioneers.  At  10  a.m.  we  met 
a  native  boy,  called  Bakula,  of  al)out  fifteen  years,  filiating 
down  river  on  a  piece  of  a  canoe.     He  sprung  aljoard  our 


ANOTHEli   FllflOi'S    TEMI'KST. 


their 


A.M. 


168 

An 


1887. 
Inly  V2. 


(1  our 


])()at  with  akcrity,  aiul  used  liis  paihlle  properly 
hour  later  we  rounded  the  hnvest  point  of  a  lenothy  j''''^  ^ 
curve,  l)ristling  with  nunierou.s  larj^^e  villages.  'I'lie  hoy 
volunteer  who  had  drop})ed  to  our  aid  from  the  unknown, 
called  the  lower  villaoe  Bandanui,  the  next  Nduinlia,  and 
the  Ion*;'  row  of  villages  ahove,  the  houses  of  the  Banalya 
tril)e.  But  all  were  deserted.  We  halted  at  l)andangi 
for  lunch,  and  at  2  p.m.  resumed  our  journey. 

An  hour's  pull  hrought  us  to  the  up})er  village,  where 
we  campevl.  Our  river  party  on  this  dny  numbered  forty 
men  ;  hut,  as  we  landed,  we  were  lost  in  the  large  and 
silent  villa<>;e.  1  had  counted  thirteen  villaues — one  of 
these  nuni])ered  180  huts.  Assuming  that  in  this  curve 
there  were  1300  huts,  and  aUowing  only  four  persons  to 
each  hut,  we  have  a  populadon  of  5200. 

At  5.30  appeared  the  advance  guard  of  the  column, 
and  presently  a  furious  tempest  visited  us,  with  such 
violent  accompaniments  of  thunder  and  lightning  as 
might  have  been  expected  to  he  necessary  to  clear  the 
atmosphere  charged  with  the  collected  vap(Hirs  of  this 
humid  region — through  which  the  sun  appeared  daily  as 
thrcnigh  a  thick  veil.  Therelbre  the  explosive  force  of 
the  electric  fluid  was  terrific.  All  about  us,  and  at  all 
points,  it  lightened  and  shattered  with  deafening  exj)lo- 
sions,  and  blinding  forks  of  Hame,  the  thick,  sluggish, 
vaporous  clouds.  Nothing  less  than  excessive  eneruv  of 
concentrated  electricity  could  have  cleared  the  heavy 
atmosphere,  and  allowed  the  inhabitants  of  the  land  to 
see  the  colour  of  the  sky,  and  to  feel  the  cheering  in- 
fluence of  the  sun.  For  four  hours  we  had  to  endure  the 
dreadful  bursts;  while  a  steady  stream  of  rain  relieved 
the  surcharcjed  masses  that  had  hun<i'  incum])ent  above 
us  for  days.  While  the  river  party  and  advance  guard 
were  housed  in  the  upper  village,  the  rear  guard  and 
No.  4  Company  occupied  Bandangi.  at  the  town  end  of 
the  crescent,  and  we  heard  them  shooting  minute  guns  to 
warn  us  of  their  presence  ;  while  we  vainly,  for  econo- 
mical reasons,  replied  with  the  tooting  of  long  ivory 
horns. 

Such   a    large  population  naturally   owned  exclusive 


a 


154 


7.V  DAliKEST  AFRICA. 


1887.  fields  of  maiii(K',  plMiitatioiis  of  hananas,  and  plantains, 
July  12.  suo-ar-caiK',  uardcns  of  JR-i-lts.  and  Indian  corn,  and  as  the 
*"  '"'^''"  heavy  rain  had  saturated  the  «;rountl,  a  halt  was  ortlered. 
iiv  nine  o'clock  the  rear  ouard  was  known  to  have 
arrived  by  Nelson's  voice  erying  out  for  "  chop  and 
coti'ee" — our  chop  consisted  of  eassava  cakes,  a  plantain 
or  so  roasted,  and  a  mess  of  warden  greens,  with  tea  or 
cotfee.  Flesh  of  goat  or  fowl  was  sini2)ly  unprocurahle. 
Neither  lard  nor  beast  of  anv  kind  was  to  he  obtained. 
Hitherto  only  two  crocodiles  and  but  one  hii)})o  had 
been  discovered,  but  no  elephant,  buffalo,  or  antelojw  or 
wild  hog,  though  tracks  were  numerous.  How  could  it 
be  otherwise  with  the  pioneers'  shouts,  cries,  noise  of 
cutting  and  crushing,  and  poundingof  trees,  the  murmur 
of  a  large  caravan  ?  With  the  continuous  gossip,  story- 
telling, wrangling,  laughing  or  wailing  that  were  main- 
tained during  the  march,  it  was  simply  impossible.  Pro- 
gress through  the  undergrowth  was  denied  without  a 
heavy  knife,  machette,  or  bill-hook  to  sever  entangling 
creepers,  and  while  an  animal  may  have  been  only  a  few 
feet  off  on  the  other  side  of  a  bush,  vain  was  the  attempt 
to  obtain  view  of  it  through  impervious  masses  of  vege- 
tation. 

In  our  boat  I  employed  the  halt  for  examining  the 
islands  near  Bandangi.  We  discovered  lengthy  heaps  of 
oyster-shells  on  one  island,  one  of  which  was  sixty  feet 
long,  ten  feet  wide,  and  four  feet  high  ;  we  can  imagine 
the  feasts  of  the  bivalves  that  the  aborigines  enjcjyed 
during  their  picnics,  and  the  length  of  time  that  had 
elapsed  since  the  first  bivalve  had  been  eaten.  On  my 
return  I  noticed  through  a  bank-slip  in  the  centre  of  the 
curve  a  stratum  of  oyster-shell  buried  three  feet  under 
alluvium. 

Our  native  boy  Bakula,  informed  us  that  inland  north 
lived  the  Baburu,  who  were  very  different  from  the 
river  triV)es,  that  up  river,  a  month's  journey,  would  be 
found  dwarfs  about  two  feet  high,  with  long  beards ; 
that  he  had  once  journeyed  as  far  as  Panga  where  the 
river  tumbletl  from  a  height  as  high  as  the  tallest  tree, 
that  the  Aruwimi  was  now  called  Lui  by  the  people  of 


OUR   NATIVE   HOY   liAKVLA. 


155 


It 


the  left  bank,  but  that  to  the  Babmu  on  tlie  right  bank 
it  was  known  as  the  Luhali.  BakiUa  was  an  exceptionally 
erafty  hul,  a  pui'e  cannibal,  to  whom  a  mess  of  human 
meat  would  have  been  delectalde.  lie  was  a  perfect 
mimic,  and  had  by  native  cunninijf  protected  himself  by 
conforming  readily  to  what  he  divined  would  be  j)leasing 
to  the  strangers  by  whom  he  was  surrounded.  Had  all 
the  native  tril)es  a»h)pted  this  boy's  })olicy  our  passage 
through  these  novel  huids  would  have  been  as  2)leasant 
as  eould  be  desired.  1  have  no  doubt  that  they  p<js- 
sessed  all  the  arts  of  eraft  which  we  admired  in  Jiakula, 
they  had  simply  not  the  courage  to  do  what  an  ac(.'ident 
had  enabled  him  to  carry  out. 

From  Chief  Bambi's  town  of  tlie  Banalya  we  moved 
to  Buni^anoeta  villaoes  bv  river  and  land  on  the  1 5th.  It 
was  a  stern  and  sombre  morning,  gloomy  with  lowering 
and  heavy  clouds.  It  struck  me  on  this  dull  dreary 
morning,  while  regarding  the  silent  flowing  waters  of  the 
dark  river  and  the  long  unbroken  forest  frontage,  that 
nature  in  this  region  seems  to  be  waiting  the  long  ex- 
pected  trumpet-call  of  civilization — that  appointed  time 
when  she  shall  awake  to  her  duties,  as  in  other  portions 
of  the  earth.  I  compared  this  waiting  attitude  to  the 
stillness  preceding  the  dawn,  before  the  insect  and  animal 
life  is  astir  to  fret  the  air  with  its  murmur,  before  the 
day  has  awakened  the  million  minute  passions  of  the 
wilds ;  at  that  hour  when  even  Time  seems  to  be  drowsy 
and  nodding,  our  inmost  thoughts  appear  to  be  loutl, 
and  the  heart  throbs  to  1)6  clamorous.  But  when  the 
young  day  peeps  forth  white  and  gray  in  the  East  the 
eyelids  rf  the  world  lift  up.  There  is  a  movement  and  a 
hum  of  invisible  life,  and  all  the  earth  seems  wakened 
from  its  broodino'.  But  withal,  the  forest  world  remains 
restful,  and  Nature  bides  her  day,  and  the  river  -hows  no 
life  ;  unlike  Rip  Van  Winkle,  Nature,  despite  her  im- 
measurably long  ages  of  sleep,  indicates  no  agedness,  so 
old,  incredibly  old,  she  is  still  a  virgin  locked  in  ir  ;  ocent 
repose. 

What  expansive  wastes  of  rich  productive  land  lie  in 
this  region  unheeded  by  man  !     Populous  though  the 


1887.^ 
July  12. 

Mamlangl. 


I 


156 


IX  DARKKHT  AFRICA. 


I 


1887.     liver    l»;inks    are,    they    are    l)ut    slightly  di.sturhed   hy 
July  U).    1.^1,,)^. — ..^  ti'itiiuo-  oTuhbiiio- of  parts  (jf  the  foreshore,  a 

geu"'  limited  acreage  for  manioc,  within  a  crater-like  area  in 
the  bosom  of  the  dark  woods,  and  a  narrow  line  of  small 
cotes,  wherein  the  savages  huddle  within  their  narrow 
circumference. 

One  of  my  amusements  in  the  boat  was  to  sketch  the 
unknown  course  of  the  river  —  for  as  the  aborioines 
disappearetl  like  rats  into  their  holes  on  one's  approach 
1  could  gain  no  information  respecting  it.  How  far  was 
it  permissible  iov  me  to  deviate  from  my  course  ?  By 
the  river  I  could  assist  the  ailino-  and  relieve  the  strono-. 
The  goods  could  be  transported  and  the  feeble  conveyed. 
Reserves  of  manioc  and  plantain  could  also  be  carrie<l. 
But  would  a  someuhat  lono'  curve,  windiiiQ'  as  hio-h  as 
•some  fortv  or  fiftv  uec^raphical  miles  north  of  our 
course,  be  compensated  by  these  advantages  of  relief  oi 
the  porters,  and  the  abuiKhuice  of  provisions  thnt  are 
assuredlv  found  on  the  l)aiiks  ?  When  I  noted  the 
number  of  the  sick,  and  saw  the  jaded  condition  of  the 
people,  I  felt  that  if  the  river  ascended  as  far  as  2"^  N., 
it  was  infinitely  preferal)le  to  plunging  into  the  centre 
of  the  forest. 

The  temperatui'e  of  the  air  during  the  clouded  morn- 
ing was  75^,  surface  of  the  river  77°.  What  a  relief  it 
was  to  breathe  the  air  of  tlie  river  after  a  night  spent  in 
inhaling  the  close  impure  air  in  the  forest  by  night  ! 

On  the  IGtli  we  ])ossessc(l  one  l»oat  and  five  canoes, 
caiTvino;  '^('ventv-four  men  and  120  loads,  so  that  with 
the  weii>ht  of  tlie  boat  sections,  half  of  our  men  were 
relieved  of  loads,  and  carried  nothing  every  alternative 
(hiy.  We  passed  by  the  mouth  of  a  considerable  atHuent 
from  the  south-east,  and  camped  a  mih>  altovc  it.  The 
tein[)eraturc  rose  to  '.)4°  in  the  afternoon,  and  ns  a 
conse(|uence  rain  fell  in  torrents,  preceded  by  tlie  usual 
thunder  roars  and  lightning  Hashes.  Tntil  I  p.m.  ot 
the  17th  the  rain  fell  unceasingly.  It  would  have  hccu 
interesting  to  have  ascertained  the  number  of  indies 
that  fell  during  these  nineteen  houi's'  rain-pour.  Few 
of  the   people  enjoyed  any  rest ;    there   was  a  general 


^ 


; 


ii  •! 


THE   SOMALJS. 


157 


moos, 

with 

wore 

lative 

Huont 

The 

iis  ;i 
usual 
M,     of 

heel  I 
iiches 

l'\'W 

|'U(M"ll 


wrinirinff  of  hlaiikets  and  eh)thes  after  it  eeased,  ])ut  it 
was  some  hours  before  they  recovered  their  usual  ani- 
mation. The  a])origines  must  liave  been  also  depressed, 
owing  to  our  vicinity,  though  if  they  had  ki^own  what 
wealth  we  possessed,  they  might  have  freely  parted  with 
their  goats  and  fowls  for  our  wares. 

The  column  camped  at  3  p.m.  opposite  the  settlement 
of  Lower  Mariri.  Besides  their  immense  wooden  drums, 
whi(,'li  sounded  the  alarm  to  a  ten-mile  distance,  the 
natives  vociferated  with  unusual  powers  of  lung,  so 
that  their  cries  could  be  heard  a  mile  oil'.  The  absence 
of  all  other  noises  lends  peculiar  power  to  their  voices. 

The  Somalis,  who  are  such  excellent  and  ethcient 
servants  in  lands  like  the  Masai,  or  diy  regions  like 
the  Soudan,  are  perfectly  useless  in  humid  regions. 
Five  of  them  declined  to  stay  at  Yambuya,  and  insisted 
on  accompanying  me.  Since  we  had  taken  to  the  river 
I  had  employed  them  as  boatmen,  or  rather  did  employ 
them  when  they  were  able  to  handle  a  peddle  or  a  pole, 
but  their  physi<'al  powers  soon  collapsed,  and  they 
became  mere  passengers.  On  shore,  without  having 
undergone  any  exertion,  they  were  so  prostrated  after  a 
two  hours'  river  voyage,  that  they  were  unable  to  rig 
shelter  against  rain  and  damp,  and  as  they  were  thievish 
the  Zanzibaris  refused  to  permit  them  to  a})})i'oach  their 
huts.  The  result  was  that  we  had  the  trouble  each  day 
to  see  that  a  share  of  food  even  was  doled  out  to  them, 
as  they  would  have  voluntarily  starved  rather  than  cut 
d(»wn  the  plantains  above  their  heads. 

From  oj)posite  Lower  Mariri  we  journeyed  to  a  spot 
ten  miles  below  the  Up[)er  .Mariri  on  the  18th.  The 
canoes  had  only  occupied  4  h,  \b  m,,  but  the  land 
column  did  not  ap})ear  at  all. 

(hi  the  19th  I  employed  the  boat  and  canoe  crews  to 
cut  a  road  to  above  a  section  of  the  rapids  of  Lpjicr 
Marii'i.  This  was  accomplished  in  'J^  hours.  \Ve 
returned  to  canij)  iu  45  minutes.  ( hir  pace  going  uj) 
was  similar  to  that  of  the  caravan,  conse(|uently  an 
ordinary  day's  travel  through  the  forest  W(»uld  be  six 
miles.     On  returning  to  camp  formed  the  column,  and 


July  17. 

Lower 
Mariri. 


(l 


158 


IN  DABKEST  AFRICA. 


1887.     marched    it    to    the  end  of  our   paths  ;    the  boat   and 

July  20.   ,..^i|Qe,ij  were  punted  up  the  rapids  without  accident,  and 

jii|!|j^i     in  the  afternoon  the  people  foraged  for  food  at  a  viUage 

a  mile  and  a  half  above  camp  with  happy  results.     ( )n 

the  20th  the  advance  ccjlumn  marched  up  and  occupied 

the  villaoe. 

Altout  two  hours  after  arrival  some  of  the  natives  of 
IMariri  came  in  a  canoe  and  hailed  us.  We  replied 
tlirough  Bakula,  the  native  boy,  and  in  a  short  time 
were  able  to  purchase  a  coujDle  of  f(jwls,  and  during  the 
afternoon  were  al)le  to  purchase  three  more.  This  was 
the  first  barter  we  had  been  able  to  etlect  (Hi  the  Aru- 
winii.  ]\lariri  is  a  large  settlement  aliounding  in  plan- 
t<uns,  while  at  our  viUage  there  were  none.  Two  men, 
Charlie  No.  1  and  ]\Iusa  bin  Juma  disappeared  on  this 
day.     V\^ithin  twent\'-tliree  days  we  had  not  lost  a  man. 

No  casualty  had  as  yet  happened,  and  good  fortune, 
whi('li  had  hitherto  clung  to  us,  from  tliis  date  began  to 
desert  us.  We  were  under  the  impression  that  those 
men  had  been  captured  by  natives,  and  their  heedless 
con'luct  was  the  text  of  a  sermon  preached  to  the  men 
next  morning  when  they  were  mustered  for  the  march. 
It  was  not  until  thirteen  months  later  that  we  knew 
tlu.t  they  had  deserted,  that  they  had  succeeded  in 
reaching  Yambuya,  and  had  invented  the  most  mar- 
vellous tales  of  wars  and  disasters,  which,  when  repeated 
by  the  otticers  at  Yambuya  in  their  letter  to  the  (Jom- 
mittee,  created  so  much  anxiety.  Had  I  believed  it 
had  l)een  possible  that  two  messengers  could  Jiave 
I)erformed  that  march,  we  certainly  had  availed  our- 
selves of  the  fa(.'t  to  have  communicated  authentic  news 
and  chart  of  the  route  to  ^lajor  i3artrelot,  who  'n 
another  month  would  be  leaving  his  camp  as  we  be- 
lieved. From  the  viUage  opposite  Upper  JMariri  we 
proceeded  to  8.  Mupc',  a  large  settlement  consisting  of 
several  villages,  eml»o\v(>red  in  plantations.  The  chiefs 
of  Mu{)e  are  Mbadu.  Aliniba.  antl  ^langrudi. 

On  the  L'L*nd  Surgeon  Parke  was  the  otticer  of  the 
day,  ami  \v;i>  unfortunate  enough  to  miss  the  I'iver,  and 
strike    thnjugh   the   forest  in    a    wrong   direction.     He 


and 
and 


tlie 


I 


THE  BADE   MAXNEIiS,    CUSTOMS,   AND   DliESS.      159 

finally  struck  a  track  on  which  the  scouts  found  a 
woman  and  a  large-eyed,  brown-coloured  child.  The 
woman  showed,  the  route  t(^  the  river,  and  was  after- 
wards released.  Through  her  intluence  the  natives  of 
N.  Mupe  on  the  right  bank  were  induced  to  trade  with 
us,  by  which  we  were  enal)led  to  procure  a  dozen  fowls 
and  two  eggs. 

The  bed  of  the  river  in  this  locality  is  an  undisturbed 
rock  of  iine-grained  and  hard,  brick-coloured  sandstone. 
This  is  the  reason  that  the  little  rapids,  thougli  fre(jucnt 
enough,  present  but  little  obstacles  to  navigation.  The 
banks  at  several  places  rose  to  about  forty  feet  above 
the  river,  and  the  rock  is  seen  in  horizontal  strata  in 
bluffy  form,  in  many  instances  like  crumbling  ruins  of 
cut  stone. 

The  sign  of  peace  with  these  riverine  natives  appears 
to  }»e  the  pouring  of  water  on  their  heads  with  tlicir 
hands.  As  new-comers  approached  our  camp  they  cried 
out,  "  We  suffer  fnmi  famine,  we  have  no  food,  but  up 
river  you  will  find  plenty.  Oh,  '  monomopote '  I  (son  of 
the  sea)."  "  But  we  sutler  from  want  of  food,  and  have 
not  the  strength  to  proceed  unless  you  give  us  some," 
we  replied.  Whereu])on  ihey  threw  us  fat  eai's  of 
Indian  corn,  plantains,  and  sugai'-cane.  This  was 
preliminary  to  a  trade,  in  doing  wliicli  these  apparently 
unsophisticated  natives  were  as  sharp  and  as  exorbitant 
as  any  of  the  Wvyanzi  on  the  (ongo.  The  natives  of 
Mupe'  are  called  Babe', 

'i'ritles,  such  as  em])ty  sardine  boxes,  jam  and  milk 
cans,  and  caitridge  cases,  wei'e  easily  bartersible  Ibr 
sugar-cane,  Indian  corn,  and  tobacco.  A  cotton  hand- 
kerchief would  buy  a  fowl,  goats  were  brought  t(»  <»ur 
view,  but  not  parted  with.  They  are  said  to  be  iIk^ 
monopoly  of  chiefs.  The  natives  showed  no  iixed 
desire  for  any  speciality  bur  cloth — gaudy  re(l  handker- 
chiefs. We  s  w  some  cowries  among  them,  and  in  the 
))ottom  of  a  canoe  we  found  a  piece  of  an  inl'antrv 
officer's  sword  nine  in<'lics  long.  We  should  have  been 
delighted  to  have  heai'd  the  hist(ny  of  that  swoid.  and 
the  list  of  its  owners  since  it  left  liii'mineluiin.     Iiut  we 


1887. 
July  22. 

Mupe. 


160 


IN  DAL' REST  AFlilCA. 


1S87. 
July  22 

JJ  upe. 


coulil  not  maintain  any  lengthy  conversation  \\\ir\  ihem, 
our  ignorance  of  the  hmgiiage,  and  their  excit.ibility 
prevented  us  from  doing  more  tlian  observing  and 
interchanging  words  rehiting   to  peace  and    food  with 

them.  We  can  accept  the  bit 
of  sword  blade  as  evidence  that 
their  neighbours  in  the  inierior 
have  had  some  contact  witii  the 
Soudanese. 

Neither  in  manners,  cusioms 
or  dress  was  there  any  very 
great  difierence  between  these 
natives  and  those  belonoinoj  to 
the  upper  parts  of  the  Upper 
Congo.  Their  \\  ^,ad-di'esses  were 
of  l)asket  work  decorated  with 
red  parrot  feathers,  monkey 
skin  caps  of  grey  or  dark  fur, 
with  the  tails  drooping  ])ehind. 
The  neck,  arm  and  ankle  orna- 
ments were  of  polished  iron, 
rarely  of  copper,  ne\'  m-  of  brass. 
They  make  beautiful  paddles, 
finely  carved  like  a  long  pointed 
I'.if,  "  Senneneh "  was  the 
peaceful  hail  as  in  M^inyuema,  Uregga  and  Usongora, 
above  Stanley  Falls.  The  complexion  of  these  natives 
is  mere  ochreous  than  black.  When  a  body  of  them  is 
seen    on  the  opposite  l)ank,  there  is  little  diflerence  o^ 


HEAD-DRESS — CHOWN    OF 
BRISTLES. 


PADDLE   OF   THE   VITEK    AlilWIMI   OR    ITVRI. 


colour  between  their  bodies  and  tlie  reddish  clayey  soil 
of  the  landiiig-place.  Mu<*h  of  this  is  due  to  the 
CaL'wood  powder,  and  with  thi.**  «wxed  wjrii  oil  they 
perform    their  touet.       But    pruteetion    from   sunshine 


iH-^ 


QUALITIES    OF  MY  FnrjR    OFFICERS. 


vn. 


oil 
he 
they 
ihine 


consi<leml')ly  C(.nrril)Utes  to  this  li,<>'ht  colour.  The 
native  l)oy,  Bakiila,  for  iiiscaiiee,  was  deprived  of  this 
universal  cosmetic  made  of  Camwood,  and  he  was  mucli 
lighter  than  tVe  avfrai>"e  of  our  Zanzibaris. 

(hi  the  24th,  ^Ir.  Jephson  led  the  van  of  the  column, 
and  under  his  ouidance  we  made  the  astonishin<>'  maivli  of 
seven  and  a  half  o'eouTai)hical  miles — the  column  havinii' 
l)een  compelled  to  wade  througli  seventeen  streams  and 
creeks.  During  these  days  Jephson  exhibited  a  marvellous 
vio'our.  Ke  was  in  manv  thinos  an  exact  du])li('!ite  of 
nivself  iv  my  vounoer  davs,  ])efore  vears  and  hundi'c(ls 
of  fevers  had  cooled  my  l)urning'  hlood.  lie  is  exactly 
of  my  own  height,  huild  and  weight  and  temperament. 
lie  is  sanguine,  confid  'ut,  and  1,'ves  hard  work.  He  is 
simplv  indefatigahle,  and  whether  it  is  slushy  mire  or 
a  muddy  creek,  in  he  enters,  without  hesitation,  up  to 
his  knees,  waist,  neck  or  (n^erhead  it  is  all  the  same. 
A  svharite,  daintv  and  fastidious  in  civilizati(m,a  traveller 
and  labourer  in  Africa,  he  re<|uires  to  he  restrained  and 
counselled  for  his  own  sake.  Now  these  young  men, 
Stairs,  Nelson  and  Parke,  are  veiy  much  in  the  same 
way.  Stall's  is  the  military  otticer,  alert,  intelligent, 
who  understands  a  hint,  a  curt  intimation,  gra.  ps  an 
idea  firndy  and  realises  it  to  perfection.  Xel-on  V  a 
centui'ion  as  of  old  Roman  times,  he  can  execute  '»  ctiuse 
it  is  the  will  of  his  chief;  he  does  not  stay  to  u.-k  the 
reason  why  ;  he  only  undei'stands  it  to  l»e  a  nec<-:.sity, 
and  his  great  vigour,  strength,  resolution,  plain,  good 
sense  is  at  my  disposal,  to  act,  suffci  (jr  die  ;  and  Parke, 
noble,  gentle  soul,  so  tendei-  and  <levoted.  so  patient,  so 
sweet  in  mood  and  brave  in  temper,  always  en<luring 
and  etl'using  c(mifort  as  he  moves  through  our  atmos- 
})here  of  sutlering  and  pain.  N»  four  men  ever  entered 
Africa  with  such  (jualities  as  these.  No  leader  evej'  had 
cause  to  l)less  his  stars  a.s  1. 

(hi  this  dav  Jenhson  had  two  adventures.  In  his 
usual  free,  impulsive  manner,  and  with  swinging  gait 
he  was  directing  the  pioneers — crushing  through  the 
jungle,  in<litl'erent  to  liis  costum  when  he  suddenly 
wank    out    of   sight    int(;  an  ele[)hant   pit  I     We   might 

VOL.   I.  L 


•rnjx'. 


'  •  .-— y" 


1H2 


IX    DARK  K.ST  AFlUr'A. 


18ft7. 
July  24. 

Mu|ie. 


I! 


(!i 


luive  imaoiiied  a  playful  and  sportive  yoiino-  elephant 
crasliini;'  tlirouuli  the  liushes,  rendini;  and  tearing  young- 
saplings,  and  suddenly  disappeai'ing  from  the  view  of 
his  nioi'c  staid  mamma.  Jephson  lia<l  intelligenee,  how- 
ever, and  aid  was  at  liand.  and  he  was  pulled  out  none 
the  worse.  It  was  a  mere  amusing  incident  to  he 
detailed  in  camp  and  to  provoke  a  laugh. 

He  rushed  ahead  of  the  pioneers  to  trace  the  c((urse 
to  he  followed,  and  presently  encountered  a  tall  native, 
with  a  spear  in  his  hand,  face  to  face.  Both  were  so 
astonished  as  to  he  paralysed,  hut  -lephson's  impulse 
was  that  of  a  Berseker.  He  flung  himself,  unarmed, 
upon  the  native,  who,  eluding  his  grasp,  ran  from  him, 
as  he  would  from  a  lion,  headlong  down  a  steep  hank 
into  a  creek,  -leplison  following.  But  the  clayey  soil 
was  (lani[)  and  slippery,  his  foot  sli])ped,  and  the  gallant 
Ca[)tain  of  the  Ailrance  measured  his  length  face 
downwards  with  his  feet  up  the  slope,  and  such  was 
ills  impetus  that  he  slid  (h)wn  to  the  edge  of  the  creek. 
When  he  recovered  himself  it  was  to  hehold  the  denizen 
'»f  the  woods,  hurrying  wy-  the  opposite  hank  and  casting 
wild  eyes  at  this  sudden  pale-faced  appai'ition  who  had 
so  disturhed  him  as  he  hrooded  over  the  prospect  of 
timling  game  in  his  traps  that  day. 

( kir  camp  ('ii  this  day  was  a  favourite  haunt  of 
ele|)hai's  from  time  immemorial.  It  was  near  a  point 
round  which  the  river  raced  with  stronii;  swirling 
currents.  A  long  view  of  a  hroad  silent  river  is  seen 
npwj'id,  and  one  of  a  river  disparted  hy  a  series  of 
islands  helow. 

Ui!  the  25th  Captain  Nelson  led  the  column,  Jephson 
\vas  I'l'i^ijested  to  assist  me  with  the  long  narrow  canoes 
lacicn  with  valuahle  goods,  and  to  direct  some  of  the 
unfkiir'ul  "  lubhers  '  who  formed  our  crews.  The  hoat 
led  th;*  m.;>'  anchored  altove  the  dangerous  and  swirly 
point,  and  east  the  manilla  rope  to  the  canoe  crew,  who, 
hauliiig  hy  this  cord  drew  the  canoes  to  (juiet  water. 
Then  rowiuii'  hard  auainst  the  stnmu' currents,  at  1  I  a.m. 
we  caught  the  head  of  the  caravan  gathered  on  the  hank 
of  a  wide  and  dark  sluggish  creek,  the  Hendi,  which  lazily 


WASP  L'Al'IDS. 


163 


had 

it    of 

point 

irlin^sj; 

.seen 

les   of 


)llS()ll 

aiioes 
)f  tlie 

Itoat 
Avirly 

who, 
water. 

I    A.M. 

l»aiik 
lazily 


Howc<l  out  of  dark  depths  of  woods.  By  one  o'('h)ek  tlie 
fei'i'iai>'e  was  comphjted,  and  the  coluuiii  vesunied  its 
marcli,  while  we,  on  the  river,  lietoo!  airsek.es  to 
further  struii'U'los  with  the  (hin,i2,erous  v.-;.,es  and  reefs  of 
what  is  now  called  Wasp  Kapids,  from  the  following 
incident. 

These  rapids  extended  for  a  stretch  of  two  miles. 
Ahove  them  were  the  villa,i;es  which  hecanie  the  scene 
of  a  tragic  strife,  as  will  be  learned  hiter  in  a  snljseipient 
cha})ter,  and  these  settlements  were  the  dear  objects  of 
our  aims  in  order  to  obtain  shelter  and  f  )od. 

( hu'  first  ettbrts  against  the  rapids  were  successful. 
The  current  was  swift  and  dangerous,  l)reaking  out  into 
great  waves  now  and  then.  For  the  first  half-hour  we 
were  successful.  Then  beuan  a  strno'ule,  rowinij'  on  one 
side  hard  and  the  starl)oard  side  crew  gras})ing  at  over- 
hanging l)uslies,  two  men  poling,  two  men  on  the  decked 
b(tw,  with  boat-hooks  outstretched  with  their  fangs  ready 
to  snatch  at  saplings  for  firm  hold.  I  steered.  We 
advanced  slowly  but  steadily,  a  narrow  rushing  branch 
between  rocky  islets,  and  the  ])ank  was  'oefore  us  which 
raced  over  a  reef,  showing  itself  in  yard  s(|uare  dots  of 
rock  above  the  waves.  We  elected  to  ascend  this  as  in 
view  of  a  capsize  there  was  less  fear  of  drowning. 
AVith  nol)le  spirits  l)i'aced  for  an  exciting  encounter,  we 
entered  it.  Eager  hands  were  held  out  to  catch  at  the 
branches,  but  at  the  first  clutch  there  issued  at  this 
critical  moment  an  army  of  fierce  spiteful  was[)s  and 
settled  on  our  faces,  hands,  and  bodies,  every  vulneral)le 
spot,  and  stung  us  with  the  venom  of  fien<ls.  Maddened 
and  hduriated  by  the  burning  stings,  Itattling  with  this 
vicious  enemv,  l)eset  bv  reefs,  and  rocks,  and  danuerous 
waves,  and  whirling  vortexes,  we  tore  on  with  tooth  and 
nail,  and  in  a  few  minutes  were  a  hundred  vards  above  the 
awful  s[)ot.  Then,  clinging  to  the  trees,  we  halted  to 
breathe  and  sympathise  with  eadi  other,  and  exchange 
views  and  oj)inions  on  the  various  stings  of  insects,  bees, 
hornets,  and  wasps. 

<  hie  asked  niv  servant  with  a  orim  smile,  "  Did  vou 
say   the  other  day  that  you  belie\ed  there  was  much 


1887. 
.'uiy  -25. 

Wasp 
Rai)lils. 


164 


7.V  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


1887. 
July  25. 

Wasp 
Kai)i(l.s. 


lionoy  in  these  Iti'owii  })aper  nests  of  the  wa.=<ps  ? 
Well,  what  (h)  you  think  of  the  honey  now?  Don't 
y(Ki  think  it  is  rather  a  hitter  sent?"  This  raised 
a  o-eneral  lanuii.  We  recovered  our  oood  temper, 
and  resumed  our  work,  and  in  an  hour  reached  the 
villao'e  which  the  land  party  had  occupie<L  The  canoe>< 
crews,  who  followed  us,  seeing  the  hattle  with  the 
wasps,  fled  across  river,  and  ascended  h}'  the  right 
hank.      But  the  Somalis  and  8ou(hinese,  more   trustful 


Pi 


WAsrs    NKsrs,  i:tc 


in  Allah,  l)ravely  followed  our  track,  and  were  dread- 
fully stung  ■  still,  they  were  consoled  l»y  being  ahle  to 
exult  over  the  Zanziharis,  the  leader  of  which  was 
Uledi,  of  the  "Dai'k  Continent." 

"Oh,"  I  remarked  to  Uledi,  "it  is  not  a  hrave  thing 
you  have  done  this  day — to  tly  away  from  wasj)s." 

"Oh,  sir,"  he  replied,  "naked  manhood  is  nowhere 
in  such  a  scrape  as  that.  Wasps  are  more  (hmgerous 
than  the  most  .savaoe  men." 


VISIT  FROM    THE   CHIEF   OF  nWAMBrUL 


165 


asps  ? 
Don't 
I'iiise*! 
iii[)er, 
(I  the 
aiioos 
li  the 
ri,uht 
■ustt'ul 


ilroatl- 
l)le  to 
li    was 


thing 


owhere 
loeruuB 


The  native  settlement  on  the  h'ft  hank  is  called 
Bandeya  ;  tlu'  one  facing'  opposite  consists  of  the  villa<;es 
of  the  Bwamhuri.  North  of  the  Bwanilairi,  a  day's 
mari'h.  hcuins  the  trihes  of  the  Ahahna  and  the  Mahodc, 
who  have  a  diflevent  kind  of  architecture  from  the 
stee[)ly  conical  huts  prevailini;'  among  the  riverine 
trihes.  The  Mahodc  are  said  to  possess  sipiare  houses 
with  galde  roofs,  the  walls  are  neatl}'  plastered,  and 
ah)ng  the  fronts  are  clay  verandahs. 

On  the  2Gth  we  halted  to  rest  and  recuperate.  Those 
of  us  who  were  attacked  hy  the  wasps  suH'cred  from  a 
fever:  the  coxswain  of  the  hoat  was  in  gicat  distress. 
The  following  day  the  chief  of  the  Bwamhuri  came  over 
to  pay  us  a  \isit,  and  hrought  us  as  a  gift  a  month  old 
chick,  which  was  declined  on  the  gi'ound  that  we  should 
feel  we  were  rohhing  him  were  we  to  accept  such  a  gift 
from  a  professedly  j)oor  man.  His  ornaments  consisted 
of  two  small  ivory  tusks  planed  Hat  and  polished,  which 
hung  suspended  from  a  string  made  of  grass  encircling 
his  neck.  His  head-dress  was  a  long-haired  monkey 
skin.  We  exchanged  professions  of  amity  and  hrother- 
liood.  and  commenced  the  march,  and  cam})ed  op])osite 
jMukupi,  a  settlement  possessing  eight  villages,  on  the 
28th. 

Two  sturdy  [)risoners  imparted  to  us  strange  informa- 
tion of  a  laro'e  lake  called  "  No-uma,  '  as  hein*''  situate 
somewhere  in  the  neighhourhood  of  a  place  called 
Fanga.  It  was  said  to  l»e  many  (hiys'  journey  in 
extent.  In  the  centre  was  a  large  island,  so  infested 
with  serpents  that  natives  dreaded  to  g')  near  it  ;  that 
from  it  flowed  the  Nepoko  into  the  Nowelle,  the  name 
now  given  to  the  .Aruwimi.  After  several  chiys'  march 
we  discovered  that  the  lake  storv  was  a  mvth,  and  that 
the  Ne[)oko  did  not  flow  from  the  left  hank  of  the 
Aruwimi. 

Our  camp  on  the  29th  was  opposite  My-yui,  a  series 
of  villaoes  end)owered  amonjist  hanana  orovos  on  the 
right  hank.  It  was  not  long  hefore  we  struck  an 
ac(|uaintance  with  this  trihe.  AVe  (piickly  recognized 
a    disposition    on    the    part    of    the    al)origines    to    be 


1887. 
.luly  'iU. 

WitSj. 

Kaiiids. 


106 


jy  DAllKll^T  AFIiirA. 


1 887. 
July  '2it 

My-yui. 


1 1  .:!' 

Hi 


sociable.  A  good  ivjtort  of  oiii'  doinos  liad  prc('odo(l 
lis.  Trade  connnenced  very  pleasantly.  Our  people 
had  cowries,  l>eads,  and  hrass  rods,  besides  strange 
triHes  to  cxcliano'e  for  food.  W  hen  tlie  land  coluinn 
arrived,  [)rices  advanced  somewhat,  owini"'  to  the  oreater 
demand.  It  was  reported  that  there  wore  no  settle- 
ments between  our  cani[)  opposite  .My-yui  aixl  Panoa  ; 
that  we  should  be  nine  days  performing  the  journey 
through  the  forest. 

The  next  morning  the  ])artering  was  i-esumed,  because 
we  wished  to  prepare  provisions  for  several  days  ;  new 
ration  currency  had  alreadv  ])een  distributed  to  each 
man.  Ihit  we  were  astonislied  to  find  that  only  three 
ears  of  Indian  corn  were  i-iven  on  this  dav  foi'  a  brass 
rod  ts'entv-eiii'ht  inches  in  leiiiith,  of  the  thickness  of 
telegraph  wire.  At  i)angala  such  a  brass  rod  would 
have  purchased  five  chiys'  provisions  per  man  in  my 
(hiys,  and  here  was  a  settlement  in  the  wilds  where  we 
could  only  obtain  three  ears  of  eoi'n  !  For  one  fowl  four 
brass  rods  were  demanikHb  (V)wries  were  not  accepted  ; 
l)eads  they  declined.  The  men  were  ravenously  hungry  ; 
there  were  nine  days'  wilderness  ahead.  Was])  ra])ids 
was  the  nearest  place  below.  We  ex})ostulated,  but 
thev  were  firm.  The  men  then  Iteyaii  to  sell  their 
cartridge-pouches  for  two  plantains  each.  1'hey  were 
detected  selling  their  ammunition  at  the  rate  of  one 
cartridge  for  an  ear  of  corn  ;  a  tin  canteen  puichased 
two.  Bill-hooks  and  axes  went  next,  and  ruin  staled  us 
in  the  face.  The  natives  were  driven  away  ;  one  of 
Mugwye's  (the  chiefs)  principal  slaves  was  lifted  out 
of  his  canoe  by  a  gigantic  Zanzil>ari,  and  word  was  sent 
to  the  natives  that  if  there  were  no  fair  sales  of  food 
made  as  on  the  first  (hiy,  that  the  jnisoner  would  ])e 
taken  away,  and  that  we  shoukl  cross  over  and  help 
ourselves. 

Having  waited  all  tlic  afternoon  for  tlie  reappearance 
of  food,  w^e  embarked  at  dawn  on  the  -"Mst  with  two  full 
companies,  entered  My-yui,  and  despatched  the  foragers. 
By  3  P.M.  there  was  foixl  enough  in  the  camp  for  teu 
days 


VAKOE   ACCIDKST    UVru^lTK   MAMJiA.XdA. 


la; 


'* 


111  the  at'teniooii  of  the  1st  of"  August,  tlio  jKhaiice 
ooliinni  was  eiicaiiipiMl  (>j)])()site  ManihaiiL'a.  Tlic  livor 
pai'tv  met  with  an  acciiK'nt.  C  areloss  SoudaiK'sc  were 
capsizod.  and  one  of  the  Zanzil»ari  steersmen  disolicyino' 
orders  shoved  his  eanoe  under  the  hraneliy  trees  which 
.spread  out  from  the  hank  to  tiie  distanee  of  fifty  feet  ; 
and  hvthe  swift  current  was  driven  a^-ainst  a  suhnierued 
l)ranch,  and  ca[)sized.  causin,u'  a  h)ss  of  vahiahh'  property 
— some  of  tliem  l)eing  fine  lu^ids.  worth  four  shillings  a 
neckhice.     Six  riHes  were  also  lost. 

The  first  death  in  the  advance  column  occui'reil  on  tlie 
2nd  August,  the  .'^dtli  day  of  dej)arture  from  Yamhuya, 
whi<-h  was  a  most  extraor<linary  immunity  consi(U'rinu' 
the  hardshi])  and  privations  to  which  we  weic  all 
suhjected.  Could  we  have  discovcre(l  a  settlement 
of  liananas  on  the  other  hank,  we  should  certainly  have 
halted  to  recuperate  for  many  days.  A  halt  at  this 
period  of  four  or  five  days  at  a  tlirivin,u"  settlement, 
would  have  been  of  vast  benefit  to  all  of  us,  hut  such  a 
settlement  had  not  been  found,  and  it  was  necessary  for 
us  to  march  and  press  on  until  we  could  discover  one. 

We  traversed  a  large  villaue  that  had  l»een  abandoned 
for  probably  six  months  before  we  reached,  and  as  it 
was  the  hour  of  camping,  we  pre])ared  to  make  ourselves 
comfortable  for  the  evening.  But  as  the  tents  were 
being  pitched,  my  attention  was  called  to  the  cries 
made  by  excited  groups,  and  hastening  to  the  scene, 
heard  that  there  was  a  dead  l)ody  almost  covered  with 
mildew  in  a  hut.  Presently  the  discovery  of  another 
was  announced  and  then  another.  This  sufficed  to 
cause  us  to  hastily  ])ack  up  again  and  de])art  from  the 
dead  men's  village,  lest  we  might  contract  the  strange 
<lisease  that  had  caused  the  abandonment  of  the  village. 

One  of  our  poor  donkeys,  unable  to  find  fitting 
sustenance  in  the  region  of  trees  and  jungle,  lay  down 
and  died.  Another  appeared  weak  and  pining  for  grass, 
which  the  endless  forest  did  not  produce. 

Opposite  our  camp  on  this  dav  was  the  mouth  of  the 
Ngula  River,  an  affluent  on  the  north  side.  Within  the 
river  it  appeared  to  be  of  a  width  of  fifty  yards. 


1887. 
A  tic;.  1. 

M;ini- 
bang.'i. 


If 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


.*•  A   ^. 


1.0 


1.1 


1.25 


liij^    12.5 

|50     ■^"        H^H 

■^  1^    |2.2 


6" 


<9 


^ 


V] 


/2 


V 


V 


^ 


Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  MStO 

(716)  •73-4503 


m 


,\ 


iV 


;\ 


\ 


4 


-<^* 


6^ 


'^ 


'"fc'^ 


r 

o 


C/. 


z 


'^ 


mm 


f 


I'M 


V% 


h; 


! .; 


II 


rill 


18ft7. 
Aug.  3. 

Xgulii 
River. 


168 


IN  DARKEST  AFL'/CA. 


On  the  ;h'(l  two  hills  became  visible,  one  bearing 
E.8.E.,  the  other  S.E.  by  E.  J  E.,  a.s  we  moved  up  the 
river.  We  camped  at  the  point  of  a  curve  in  the  centre 
of  which  were  two  islands.  Paying  a  visit  to  one  of 
them  we  found  two  goats,  at  which  we  were  so  rejoiced, 
that  lono"  before  evenino-  one  was  slauohtered  for  the 

o  o  o  _ 

officers,  and  another  to  make  broth  iov  the  sick.  A 
flock  of  a  hundred  wcudd  have  saved  many  a  life  that 
was  rapidly  fading  away. 


I '  I 

I 


FO:tT    ISLANP,    NEAR    I'ANOA    FAILS. 


The  next  day  we  arrived  at  Panga  or  the  Nepanga 
Falls,  about  which  we  had  heard  so  much  from  Bakula, 
the  native  l>oy. 

The  falls  are  fully  thirty  feet  high,  though  at  first 
view  they  appear  to  be  double  that  height,  by  the  great 
slope  visible  alxn'e  the  actual  fall.  They  extend  over  a 
mile  in  length  from  the  foot  of  the  falls,  to  above  the 


M 


ABRIVAL   AT  PANG  A    FALLS. 


169 


portage.  They  are  the  first  .serious  (>]»stafles  to  navi- 
gation we  had  encountered.  They  descend  by  four 
separate  brandies,  the  hirgest  of  which  is  200  yards 
wide.  Tliey  run  ]>y  islets  of  gneissic  rock,  and  atlbrd 
cover  to  the  natives  of  Panga,  who  when  undistur])ed, 
live  upon  a  large  island  called  Nepanga,  (►ne  mile  long 
and  300  yards  wide,  situated  000  yards  below  the  Falls. 
This  island  contains  three  villages,  numbering  s(mie 
250  huts  of  the  conical  tyi)e.  There  are  several 
settlements  inland  on  both  banks.  The  staple  food 
consists  of  plantains,  though  there  are  also  fields  of 
manioc. 


1887. 
Aug.  4. 

I'aiiga 
Kails. 


I'ANllA    I'AI.I.S. 


!it  first 

e  great 

over  a 

Dve  the 


An  unfortunate  Zanzibari,  as  though  he  had  vowed 
to  himself  to  contribute  largely  to  our  ruin,  capsized  his 
canoe  as  he  ap[)roached  Nepanga,  by  which  we  lost  two 
boxes  <>f  ^[axim  amnuinition,  five  boxes  of  cowries,  three 
of  white  beads,  one  of  fancy  beads,  one  box  fine  copper 
wire,  cartridge  pouches  and  seven  rifies. 

All  things  are  savage  in  this  region.  No  sooner  luxl 
a  solitary  hippo  sighted  us  than  lie  gave  chase,  and 
nearly  caught  us.  lie  was  punislicd  severely,  and 
pi'obably  received  his  tlcath  wound.  The  fowls  of 
Nepanga  declined  to  be  caught  on  the  island  of 
Nepanga,   but   eva<led   the   foragers    by    fiight  into  the 


/• 

#■ 


111 

m 


IS- 


^^^ 


1887. 
Aug.  4. 

P/mgii 
Falls, 


170 


IN  DAllKEHT  AFIilCA. 


jun<rl'j  ;  the  ooats  were  restless,  and  combative,  and  very 
wild.  Altogether  we  captured  twelve,  which  gave  us 
some  hopes  of  heing  able  to  save  some  of  our  sick 
people.  A  few  fish  were  obtained  in  the  weirs  and 
basket-nets. 

The  results  of  3  days'  foraging  on  islands,  right  and 
left  banks  were  250  lbs.  of  Indian  corn,  18  goats,  and 
as  many  fowls,  besides  a  few  branches  of  plantains, 
among  383  people.  A  number  of  villages  and  settle- 
ments were  searched,  Init  the  natives  do  not  appear  to 
possess  a  sufficiency  of  food.  They  were  said  to  be  at 
war  with  a  tribe  called  the  Engwedde,  and  instejid  of 
cultivating  live  on  ))anana  stalks,  mushrooms,  roots, 
herbs,  fish,  and  snails  and  caterpillars,  varying  this 
extraordinary  diet  by  feeding  on  slain  humanit).  In 
such  a  region  there  were  no  inducements  to  stay,  and 
we  accordingly  commenced  the  business  of  portage. 
Stairs'  Ccmipany  was  detailed  for  clearing  the  canoe 
tra(;k,  and  to  strew  it  with  liranches  placeil  athwart  the 
road.  No.  3  and  4  Companies  hauled  the  canoes,  and 
No.  1  Company  carried  the  whale-boat  bodily  overland 
to  the  sound  of  wild  music  and  song,  and  by  the  end  of 
the  nth,  after  a  busy  day,  we  were  encamped  above  the 
great  Falls  of  Panga. 


I; 


1  , 


y 


CHAPTER  vrir. 

» 

FROM    PANG  A    FALLS   TO    ITJ  ARROW  Wa's. 

Another  accident  at  the  Rapids — The  villajre  of  Utiri — Avisibl)a  set'le- 
mcnt— Inquiry  into  a  murder  case  at  Avi8il)ba — Surprised  l)y  the 
natives — Lieutenant  Stairs  wounded — We  lumt  up  tlie  enemy — 
The  poisoned  arrows — Indiiferenee  of  the  Zanziharis — Jeplison's 
caravan  missinp — Our  wounded — Per))otnal  rain— Deaths  of  Khnlfan, 
Saadi,  and  others — Arrival  of  caravan — The  Mahengu  Rai)i(is— 
Mustering  the  people — The  Nejioko  river — Remarks  hy  liinza — Our 
food  supply — Reckless  use  of  ammunition — Halfway  to  the  All»ert 
Lake — We  fall  in  with  some  of  L'parrowwa's  men — Absconders— We 
camp  at  Hippo  Broads  and  Avakuhi  Ra])ids — The  destroyed  settle- 
ment of  Navahi— Elephants  at  Meml)erri — More  desertions— The 
Arab  leader,  Ugarrowwa — He  gives  us  information — Visit  to  the  Arab 
settlement — First  specimen  of  the  tribe  of  dwarfs — Arrangements 
with  Ugarrowwa. 

In  full  view  of  this  last  camp  there  was  an  island 
in  mid-river  distant  a])Out  two  miles,  that  resem])led 
a  water  battery,  and  a  village  lying  low,  apparently 
level  with  the  face  of  the  river.  On  exploring  it  on 
the  7th — by  no  means  an  easy  task,  so  strong  was 
the  current  sweeping  <lown  the  smootli  dangerous 
slope  of  river  towards  Panga — it  appeared  to  have 
})een  orimnallv  a  flat  rockv  mass  of  rock  a  few  inches 
above  high  river,  with  ine(|ualities  on  its  surface  wliidi 
had  been  filled  in  with  earth  carried  from  the  left  bank. 
It  measured  200  feet  in  length  by  aljout  ninety  feet  in 
width,  to  which  a  piscatorial  section  of  a  tril)e  had 
retreated  and  built  (JO  c<)ne  huts,  and  boarded  it  round 
al)out  with  planks  cut  out  of  a  light  wood  out  of  the 
forest  and  wrecked  canoes.  At  this  period  the  river 
was  })ut  six  inches  l)elow  tlie  lowest  surface  of  tlie  ishmd. 
Another  serious  accident  occurred  on  this  dav  duriuij 
the  journey  from  alnjve  Panga  Falls  to  Nejaml>i  Kajiids. 


1K«7. 
Aug.  7. 

I'nnga 
Falls. 


1    ■     '   t  ' 


E:.:  ■     ,   =? 


% 


Ifp 


I  ■ 


m 


!i: 


hi  I 


I 

I  I 


172 


JX  DAUKEST  Al'ItK'A. 


1887. 
Aug.  7. 

I'anga 
Falls. 


li 


A  witless,  iintliiiiking  canoe  coxswain  took  his  canoe 
ainon<^  tlie  l>ranclies  in  broken  water,  got  entangled,  and 
capsized.  Nine  out  of  eleven  rifles  were  recovered  ; 
two  cases  of  gunpowder  were  lost.  The  Zanzil)aris 
were  so  heedless  and  lu))l)erly  amoiM,--  rapids  that  I  felt 
myself  growing  rapidly  aged  with  intense  anxiety  while 
ol)serving  them.  How  headstrong  human  nature  is 
prone  to  b^,  I  had  ample  proofs  daily.  ^ly  losses, 
trouljles,  and   anxieties   rose   solely  from  the   reckless 


VIEW    UK    L'TIUI    VILLAGK. 


indifference  to  instructions  manifested  l^y  my  followers. 
On  land  they  wandered  into  the  forest,  and  simply  dis- 
appeared, or  were  stabbed  or  pierced  with  arrows.  So 
far  we  had  lost  eight  men  and  seventeen  rifles. 

(Jn  the  8th  the  caravan  had  hauled  the  canoes  past 
Nejambi  Rapids,  and  was  camped  a  few  miles  })elow 
Utiri.  The  next  day  we  reached  the  villages,  where 
we  found  the  architecture  had  changed.  The  houses 
were  now  all  ga1)le-roofed  and  low,  and  each  one 
surrounded  by  strong,  tall,  split  log  palisades,  six  feet 
louii",  nine  inches  bv  four  inches  wide  and  thick,  of  the 


•tes^je^ 


)wers. 
Jis- 


MARCH   TO   AVlSTBIiA    SETTLKMKXT. 


173 


riil)iue8e  wood.  C'oii.sti'ucted  in  two  lines,  a  street 
a) tout  twenty  feet  ran  between  them.  As  1  oltserved 
them  I  was  impressed  with  the  fact  tliat  they  were 
extremely  defensi))le  even  against  riHes.  A  dozen 
resolute  men  in  each  court  of  one  of  these  villaoes 
armed  with  poisoned  arrows  mi_i>ht  liave  caused  c«>n- 
sidera])le  h)ss  and  annoyance  to  an  enemy. 

On  the  10th  we  halted,  and  foragers  were  desj.  cclied 
in  three  ditlerent  directions  with  poor  results,  only  two 
days'  rations  being  procurable.  One  man,  named  Khalfan. 
ha«l  l)een  wounded  in  the  wind-pi[)e  by  a  wooden  arrow. 
The  manner  he  received  the  wound  indicates  the  pei-fect 
imlitference  with  which  they  receive  instructions.  While 
Khalfan  examined  the  plantains  altove,  a  native  stcxsd 
not  twenty  feet  away  and  shot  him  in  the  throat  with  a 
poisoned  arrow.  The  arrow  wound  was  a  mere  needle- 
point puncture,  and  Dr.  Parke  attended  t(.'  him  with 
care,  ])ut  it  had  a  fatal  conse<pience  a  few  days  later. 

The  llth  was  consumed  by  the  river  j)arty  in 
strugglino;  against  a  wild  stretch,  five  miles  long,  of 
rapids,  caused  by  numerous  reefs  and  rocky  islets,  while 
the  land  column  wound  along  the  river  bank  on  a 
passable  track  which  led  them  to  Engwedde,  where  we 
rejoined  them  on  the  I2th.  Our  day's  rate  having 
been  broken  ])y  the  rapids,  foragers  weie  again  despatched 
to  collect  food,  and  succeeded  in  procuring  three  days' 
rations  of  plantains.  On  the  I  .'Uh  we  marched  to 
Avisibba,  or  Aveysheba,  a  settlement  of  five  large 
villages,  two  of  which  were  situate  on  the  upper  side  of 
Ruku  CVeek. 

The  river  column  was  the  first  to  occupy  the  villages 
above  the  Ruku.  A  fine  open  stieet  ran  between  two 
rows  of  low  huts,  each  hut  surrounded  by  its  tall 
palisades.  There  was  a  })romising  abundance  in  the 
plantain  groves  about.  The  untouched  forest  bey<md 
looked  tall,  thick,  and  oM.  Fr<mi  the  mouth  of 
the  creek  to  the  extremity  of  the  villages  there  was  a 
hundred  yards'  thickness  of  primeval  forest,  through 
which  a  native  path  ran.  Between  the  village  and  the 
Aruwimi  was  a  belt  of  timber  fifty  yards  wide.     While 


Alii;.  S. 
L'turi. 


vmwi 


174 


IX   I>Aln\'/:sT  AFUK'A. 


|H 


I 


lu 


I 


i5 


If! 


Au^.  l.p. 
Avisibljii. 


tlic  tc'ri'laLiV  was  pnjiiivssiiiu'  across  the  creek,  the  hoat- 
crew  was  .Nean-liiiii;'  eauerly  and  <*aret"iilly  ani<)n<;'  the 
scoi'cs  of  courts  tor  hi(hlen  savages,  and  with  liHes  pn)- 
je(rting  l)etore  them  were  Imrrowing  into  the  phintaiii 
groves,  an<l  oiitsi<U'  tlie  viUages. 

When  the  colnnin  was  across  I  ha<l  a  murder  case  to 
iin|uire  into,  r  or  on  the  I'Jth.at  Kngwe<hh'',  (me  of  (mu 
Zanziliaris  had  Iteen  killed  with  a  riHe  Imllet  outside  of 
cani[>.  and  it  was  su|)[)osed  that  s<mie  vengeful  rutHan 
ill  the  column  liad  shot  him.  Meantime,  I  liad 
suggested  to  two  head  men  to  take  fortv  seout.s 
and   re-cross   the   creek,   to  exohjie    if  th 


here  were    any 


4id«iii<  !■  I  fac 


R 

2 


> 


> 


> 
2 

•y. 


LEAF-BLADED    I'AUULE   OF    AVISIBIIA. 


!       !   i 


Opportunities  for  foraging  on  the  next  (hiy  to  the  south- 
west (►f  the  creek.  My  little  court  had  just  sat  down 
for  the  iiKjuiry,  and  a  witness  was  relating  his  evidence, 
when  the  rifles  were  heard  firing  with  unusual  energy. 
Lieutenant  Stairs  mustered  some  fifty  men,  and  pro- 
ceeded on  the  •loul>le-(piick  to  the  river.  Under  the 
impression  that  ninety  lueech-loaders  were  quite  sutticient 
we  resumed  the  investigation,  hut  as  volley  after  volley 
rang  out,  with  continued  cracking  of  scouts'  rifles,  the 
Doctor,  Nelson,  and  mvself  hastened  to  the  scene 
with  a   few  more  men.      The   first   person   I   saw  was 


p 


F|fl" 


I 


f 

i 

■1    1 

'  '  1     ? 

i  . 

'# 


tM 


1  { 


i.iHVT.  sTAins  ]\orM>/:n  nv  a  /'o/,soa'A7>  Miinnv.   177 
Ijioiitonaiit  Stairs,  with   iiis  siiiit   torn  (H)on,  and  Idood 


itrt'aniin 


cr     fr(»I 


n    an    ariow-w 


ound    in    the    left    l)reast. 


altout  the  re;jji(>n  ot"  the  heart,  aiid  I  heard  n  patter- 
in<r  on  tlie  leaves  around  nie,  and  caii^lit  a  <;lini{>se 
of  arrows  Hying  past.  After  ('onsi^nino-  our  poor  friend 
to  I'arke's  cure  1  sou<^ht  for  information.  There  were 
numbers  of  men  erouciiin*;"  al»out,  and  tirinj^  in  the 
most  senseless  fashion  at  s(mie  suspicious  })ushes  across 
the  creek.  There  were  certainly  obstinate  savages 
hidilen  behind  them,  hut  I  failed  to  get  a  glimpse  of  one. 
The  creek  I  soon  found  lay  between  us.  1  was  told  that 
as  the  boat  was  crossing  the  creek  a  body  of  natives  had 
suddenly  issued  (m  the  other  side  and  shot  their  arrows 
into  them  ;  that  surprised  by  the  discharge  they  had 
crouched  in  thebottcmi  of  the  boat  to  escape  the  arrows, 
and  had  paddled  the  boat  back  to  the  landing-i)hice 
with  their  nands.  They  had  then  picked  up  their  rifles 
and  l)hized  away  at  them.  Simultaneously  Lieutemmt 
Stairs  had  rushed  in  among  them  and  fired  at  the 
enemy,  who  were  of  a  l)()lder  kind  than  any  they  had 
yet  met.  In  a  short  time  he  liad  received  an  arrow  in 
the  breast,  which  he  had  torn  off  while  retreating,  and 


f?' 


VOL.    I. 


M 


1MM7. 

Avi8il)l),i. 


five  other  men  had  been  punctured.  Almost  as  soon  as 
I  had  finished  receiving  these  particulars,  I  saw  for  the 
first  time  a  dark  sha(h)W  creep  along  the  ground  ])etween 
two  l>ushes,  and  fired  into  the  centre  of  it,  and  a 
curiously  weird  wail  responded  to  it.  Two  minutes 
later  the  arrows  had  ceased  their  patter  among  the 
leaves.  Having  posted  a  strong  guard  of  the  best  shots 
along  the  bank  to  oljserve  any  movement  on  the  opposite 
bank  of  the  creek,  the  rest  of  the  people  were  with(h"awn. 

In  the  evening  some  scouts  that  had  searched  in  the 
woods  irdand  returned  with  a  flock  of  seven  goats.  They 
had  discovered  the  crossing-place,  and  had  suddenly 
opened  fire  on  a  small  column  going  either  to  the  assist- 
ance of  the  enemy  or  coming  from  their  direction. 

On  the  1 4th,  at  dawn,  pushed  over  the  creek  two 
companies  to  hunt  up  the  enemy  that  had  done  us  su(di 
(himage  ;  a  company  was  also  sent,  under  C*aptain  Nelson, 
to  the  forest  inhmd.     In  a  few  minutes  we  heard  a  vcjlley, 


i;-  . 


% 


!:£ 


i 


178 


JN   DA  UK  EST  Ab'UK'A. 


IHR7      \\x\(\    a    socond,  luid    tlicn    iiiccssfint  ritlo  fire,  sliowinn- 
Ai.ir.  14.    j^iijjj.  j-jn.  (.n,.„)v  wciv  of  a  rcsdliitc  cliaractcr. 

Avisibbn. 


TIlClC  WCl'C 


Mj 
mI 


I 


some  cracU  shots  in  No.  I  Coiiipany.  l»iit  it  was  .scarci'ly 
[)ossil>l(.'  todoiiiurli  damage  in  a  tliirk  Imsh  against  a  crafty 
eiicniv,  wlio  kiK'W  tliat  tliev  |)os.s(»sstMl  most  daiiucious 
weapons,  and  wlio  were  i<^noiant  of  tlic  deadly  force  ot 
tlie  pellets  that  searched  the  hushes.  Ahoiit  :iO()  rounds 
ha<l  been  fired,  and  silence  followed.  Koui-  only  of  these 
liad  heen  fatal,  and  our  party  reccMved  four  wounds  fioni 
ai'rows  smeared  over  freshly  with  a  copal-coloured  suh- 
stance.  One  dead  body  was  hrouu'ht  to  me  for  examin- 
ation. The  head  had  a  crop 
of  lonii'  hair  handed  hv  a 
kind  of  coronet  of  iron  ;  the 
neck  had  a  strin^i"'  of  iron 
»li()ps,  with  a  few  monkey 
teeth  anion*;'  tliem.  The 
teeth  were  filed  into  points. 
The  distin<>uishin<>'  mark  of 
the  body  appears  to  form 
double  rows  of  tiny  cicatrices 
across  the  chest  and  abdomen. 
The  ])ody  was  uncircumcised. 
Another  dead  bodv  brou<j^ht 
to  the  landing-place  had  a 
necklace  of  human  teeth,  and 
a  coronet  of  sliinin^-  plated 
iron,  and  the  f(jreliead  and 
several  wristlets  (^f  the  same 
metal,  polished  ;  on  the  left  arm  was  the  thick  pad  of 
silk  cotton  covered  with  goat  skin,  to  protect  the  arm 
from  the  bow  string. 

After  the  natives  had  been  chased  away  on  all  sides 
from  the  vicinity,  the  people  commenced  to  forage,  and 
succeeded  in  bringing  to  Avisibba  during  the  day 
sutiicent  plantains  to  give  eighty  per  man — four  days' 
rations. 

Lieutenant  Stairs'  wound  was  one-fifth  of  an  inch  in 
diameter,  an  inch  and  a  quarter  below  the  heart,  and 
the  pointed  head  of  the  arrow  had  penetrated  an  inch 


A    IIKAU-llIiKsSS   OF    AVISIUBA 
WAHltlOHS. 


t\     \ 


TIIE    ro/SOXKI)    AJiKOW'S. 


I  () 


fAvnii'' 
('  well' 
■jiiccly 
crafty 
ocroiis 
nee  ot 
n)iin«ls 
f  tlK'se 
Is  from 
m1  sul)- 
xiiiniu- 
a  croi) 

1)V  a 
n  ;  the 
if  iron 
noiikey 
The 
points, 
lark  of 
1)  f(>rm 
catrices 
(htiiien. 
nu'ised. 
)rou<2;ht 

had  a 
th,  and 

phited 
ad  and 
le  same 

pad  of 
he  arm 

all  sides 
»o;e,  and 
he  day 
ir  days' 

inch  in 
art,  and 
an  inch 


\v 


time  was  to  inject  water  in  the  wounds  and  cleanse  tlieni. 
The  "old  hands"  of  tlie  Zanziharis  athnned  it  was  poison 
extracted  from  the  India  rul)))er  (  Laiuh>lphia)  l>y  ItoiHiin'  ; 
that  the  scum  after  sutticient  h(tiling  formed  the  i)oisoii. 


CORONETEI)    AVISimtA    WAI{I!I<>I{— IIKAD-IIRKSS. 

A  native  declared  that  it  was  made  of  a  species  of  arum, 
which,  after  being  hruised,  was  hoiled  ;  that  the  water 
was  then  poured  out  into  another  pot,  and  boiled  again 
until  it  had  left  a  strong  solution,  which  was  mixed  with 
fat,  and  this  was  the  substance  on  the  arrows.  The 
odour  was  acrid,  with  a  suspicion  of  asafoetida.  The  men 
proved  its  deadly  properties  by  remarking  that  elephants 
and  all  big  game  were  killed  bv  it.  All  these  stories 
caused  us  to  be  very  anxious,  but  our  ignorance  was 
excessive,  I  admit.  We  could  onlv  look  on  with  wonder 
at  the  small  punctures  on  the  arms,  and  express  our 


Aiii:.  1 ». 
Avi>ibba. 


and  a  half  deep.  The  other  men  were  wouiide(l  ,n  the  imht 
wrists,  arms,  and  one  in  the  Hesliy  j»art  of  the  liack.  At 
this  perictd  we  did  lutt  know  what  this  sti-aiige  copal- 
coloured  substance  was  with  which  the  points  had  been 
smeared,  nor  ditl  we  know  what  were  its  jx'culiar  etlects 
lien  drv  or  wet  ;  all  that   the    I  )octor   could   do  at  this 


?ti{ 


J 


180 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


It ' 


:  *H 


i 


■J 

t 

1 1 


\  '; 


18H7. 
Aug.  14. 

Avisibba. 


Opinion  tliut  siicli  small  wounds  could  not  be  deadly,  and 
hope,  tor  the  sake  of  our  friend  Stairs  and  our  nine 
wounded  men.  that  all  this  was  mere  exaggeration. 

The  arrows  were  very  slender,  made  of  a  dark  wood, 
twenty-four  inches  long,  points  hardene<l  by  slow  baking 
in  the  warm  atmosphere  al)ove  the  hut  tires  ;  at  the  butt 
end  was  a  slit,  in  which  a  leaf  was  introduced  to  guide 
the  flight ;  the  sharp  points  were  as  sharp  as  needles, 
and  half  an  inch  from  the  point  began  a  curving  line  of 
notches  for  about  two  inches.  The  arrow  heads  were 
then  placed  in  the  prepared  and  viscid  substance,  with 
which  they  were  smeared  ;  large  leaves  were  then  rolled 
round  a  sheaf  before  they  were  placed  in  the  (|uiver. 
Another  substance  was  pitch  black  in  colour,  and  appeared 
more  like  Stockholm  tar  when  fresh,  but  had  a  very 
disagreeal)le  smell.  In  a  (juiver  there  would  be  nearly 
a  hundred  arrows.  When  we  observed  the  care  taken 
of  these  arrow\s,  rolled  up  in  green  leaves  as  they  were, 
our  anxiety  for  our  people  was  not  lessened. 

The  bow  is  of  stubborn  hard  brown  wood,  about  three 
feet  long ;  the  string  is  a  broad  strip  of  rattan  carefully 
polished.  To  experiment  with  their  power  I  drcjve  one 
of  the  wooden  arrcjws,  at  *six  feet  distance,  through  two 
sides  of  an  empty  biscuit  tin.  At  200  yards'  distance 
was  a  tall  tree.  I  drove  an  arrow,  with  full  forcte,  over 
the  top  of  the  highest  branch  and  beyond  the  tree.  It 
dawned  on  us  all  then  that  these  wooden  arrows  were 
not  the  ccmtemptible  things  we  had  imagined.  At  a 
short  distance  we  judged,  from  what  we  saw,  that  the 
stiff  spring  of  this  little  bow  was  sufficient  to  drive  one 
of  these  slender  arrows  clean  through  ahumanl)ody.  At 
120  paces  I  have  been  able  to  !iiiss  a  bird  within  an  inch 
with  one  of  them. 

At  noon  on  the  15th  of  August  the  land  column  filed 
out  of  the  palisaded  vibages  of  Avisibba  led  1)y  Mr. 
Jephson,  the  officer  of  the  day.  As  a  captive  had 
informed  us  that  there  were  three  cataracts  ahead  not 
far  off,  I  instructed  Mr.  .Ie[)hson  that  he  must  follow 
the  river  and  halt  at  the  first  convenient  spot  about 
2. -10   P.M.  ;    that  I   would   halt   the  river  column,  now 


.  f: 


y,  and 
•   nine 

wood, 
)aking 
ie])utt 

iiuide 
eedles, 
line  of 
s  were 
B,  with 
.  replied 
ijuiver. 
ipetired 
a  very 

nearly 
!  taken 
Y  were, 

it  three 
irefully 
ve  one 
gli  two 
listance 
;e,  over 
ee.     It 
vs  were 
At  a 
i;it  the 
ive  one 
y.     At 
m  inch 

mn  filed 

l,y  .Mr. 

ve    had 

3ad  not 

follow 

al)out 

■in,  now 


■WnODKN    ARnOWS  OP   THf;   AVISIBHA, 


182 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


ii  I 


1HS7. 
Aug.  1">. 

Avisibbii. 


iM  'i 


n 


\% 


!■! 

1     i 
i          '■ 

! 
i 

'     i 

i 

ij 

^^: 

1     l 

il 


consisting  of  tlie  hoat  and  fourteen  canoes,  until  the 
rear  guard  under  Captain  Nelson  had  (juite  left  the 
settlement ;  but  as  the  canoes  would  proceed  faster 
than  the  land  (caravan,  [  would  pro1)a))ly  overtake  him, 
and  camp  at  the  first  lit  place  I  could  find  after  an 
hour's  row,  in  which  event  he  would  proceed  until  he 
found  us.  Tlie  instructions  were  also  repeated  to  the 
leading  men  of  tlie  pioneers. 

i  ought  to  have  stated  that  our  start  at  noon  was 
occasioned  by  the  delay  caused  ])y  the  discovery  at  the 
morning  muster  that  five  men  were  al)sent.  They  ulti- 
mately turned  up  at  1 0  o'clock ;  but  this  perpetual 
straying  away  without  leave  was  most  exasperating, 
and  had  drawn  a  lecture  from  me,  though  this  was  n(jt 
uncommon  in  those  stupid  early  days  of  training. 

The  Zanzibaris  persisted  in  exhilnting  an  indifference 
to  danger  absolutely  startling,  n  t  from  bravery,  or 
from  ignorance  of  fear,  but  from  an  utter  incapacity  to 
remember  that  danger  existed,  and  from  a  stupid  un- 
consciousness as  to  how  it  affected  them.  Animals  are 
indel)ted  to  instinct  as  a  constant  monitor  aoainst 
(lan«>er,  ])ut  these  men  appeared  to  possess  neither 
instinct  nor  reason,  neither  perception  nor  memory. 
Their  heads  were  uncommonly  empty.  The  most  urgent 
entreaties  to  beware  of  hidden  foes,  and  the  most  dread- 
ful threats  of  punishment  failed  to  impress  on  their 
minds  the  necessity  they  were  under  of  l^eing  prudent, 
wary,  and  alert  to  avoid  the  skewers  in  the  path,  the 
lurking  cannibal  Ijehind  the  plantain  stalk,  the  cunning 
foe  lying  under  a  log,  or  behind  a  buttress,  and  the 
sunken  pit,  with  its  pointed  pales  at  the  l)ottom.  When 
the  danger  fronted  them  it  found  them  all  unprepared. 
A  sudden  shower  of  arrows  sent  them  howling  al)jectly 
out  of  reach  or  under  shelter  ;  and  if  the  arrows  were 
only  followed  by  a  resolute  advance,  resistance,  by  reason 
of  excess  of  terror,  would  be  impossil)le.  An  unexpected 
show  of  dauntlessness  in  a  native  compelled  from  them 
a  ready  rectognition  of  his  courage.  On  the  road  tliey 
sneaked  into  tiie  woods  to  avoid  the  rear  guard,  l)ut  Hew 
scteaming  with    terror  if  a  prowling  savage   suddenly 


THE  FORAGING    OF   THE  ZANZIBARJS. 


183 


^jii 


rose  })efore  them  with  uplifted  spear.  They  roved  fur 
singly  or  by  twos  amongst  the  villages,  as  looting  was  dear 
to  their  hearts  ;  but  should  thev  meet  the  wild  owners  of 
them  they  were  more  apt  to  throw  the  deadly  rifle  down 
on  the  ground  than  to  use  it.  They  strayed  through  the 
plantain  grove  with  magnificent  unconcern,  l)ut  if  they 
heard  the  whiz  of  an  arrow  they  ciollapsed  nervelessly 
and  submitted  to  their  fate.  With  an  astoundint);  con- 
fidence  they  scattered  along  the  road,  and  stretched  the 
line  of  the  column  to  3  miles  in  length,  l^ut  at  sight  of 
natives  all  sense  was  lost  save  that  of  cowardly  fear. 
Out  of  370  men  at  this  time  in  the  camp  there  were 
clearly  250  of  this  description,  to  whom  rifles  were  of 
no  use  save  as  a  clumsy,  weighty  club,  which  they 
would  part  with  for  a  few  ears  of  corn,  or  would  willingly 
exchange  for  a  light  walking  staff  if  they  dared. 

The  day  previcjus  the  Zanzibari  head  men,  urged  by 
their  friends,  had  appeared  before  me  in  a  body,  and 
demanded  to  be  despatched  to  forage  without  any 
officers,  as  the  officers,  they  said,  bored  them  with  their 
perpetual  orders  of  "  Fall  in,  fall  in."  "  Why,"  said  they, 
"  who  can  gather  bananas  if  they  are  continually '.matched 
and  told  to  '  Fall  in,  fall  in  ? '  " 

"  Very  true,"  said  I,  "  the  tiling  is  impossi])le.  Let 
me  see  what  you  can  do  by  yourselves.  The  banana  plan- 
tations are  but  a  quarter  o{  an  hour's  distance.  I  shall 
expect  you  all  back  within  an  hour." 

After  such  an  exposition  of  character  as  the  above  it 
will  not  be  wondered,  that,  each  man  having  cleared 
from  my  presence,  forgot  all  his  promises,  and  wandered 
according  to  his  wont.  A  fl<jck  of  sheep  or  a  herd  of 
swine  could  not  have  gone  further  astray.  After  fourteen 
hours'  absence  the  200  foragers  liad  returned  save  five. 
These  five  had  departed  no  one  knew  where  until  10  a.m. 
of  this  day. 

Ah,  those  early  davs  !  Worse  were  to  come,  and 
then,  having  ])ecome  purified  ])y  suffering,  and  taught 
hy  awful  experience,  they  l)ecame  Romans  ! 

But  to  return  to  Jephson.  We  pulled  up  stream— after 
seeing  that  every  one  was  clear  of  the   settlement   of 


1887. 
Aug.  15. 

Avisibba. 


% 


■■—t. :J._rf!S_ 


184 


JN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


In 


If ; 

J 
I  • 


i    ! 


■•I 


1887. 

Au£f.   \ri. 

Avisibba. 


I  \>\ 


Avi.sil)l)a — at  the  rate  of  a  knot  and  a  half  an  liour.  and 
at  2.45,  havinu!'  discovered  a  convenient  camp,  lialted  for 
tlie  nic^ht.  We  waited  in  vain  for  Mr.  Je})hson.  and  tlie 
column  fired  sio-nal  yuns,  rowed  out  into  the  sti'eam.  and 
with  a  glass  searched  the  shore  up  and  down,  hut  there 
was  no  sio;n  of  camp-fire,  or  smoke  above  the  woods, 
which  ijenerallv  covered  the  forest  as  with  a  foi»'  in  still 
weather,  no  sound  of  rifle-shot,  blare  of  trumpet,  or 
human  voice.  The  caravan,  we  thought,  nnist  have 
found  a  fine  track,  and  proceeded  to  the  cataracts  aliead. 

On  the  Ifitli  the  river  column  pulled  iiard  up  stream, 
passed  Mabeiigu  villages,  came  up  to  a  deep  ])ut  narrow 
creek  Mowing  fnmi  the  south  bank  into  the  Xevva,as  the 
Aruwimi  was  now  called,  h)oked  anxiously  up  stream,  and 
an  hour  later  we  had  reached  the  foot  of  Mal)engu  Rapids. 
On  the  right  bank,  opposite  to  where  we  selected  a 
camping-place,  was  a  hu'ge  settlement — that  of  Itiri. 
Then,  having  as  yet,  met  no  traces  of  the  absent  column, 
I  sent  boat's  crew  up  the  creek  to  search  for  traces 
of  fording.  After  ascending  several  miles  up  the  creek, 
the  boat's  crew  returned  unsuccessful ;  then  1  despatched 
it  back  again  to  within  half-an-hour's  distance  of 
Avisib])a,  and  at  midnight  the  boat  returned  to  announce 
their  failure  to  find  any  traces  of  the  niissing. 

On  the  17th  the  boat's  crew,  with  "Three  O'clock," 
the  hunter  (Saat  Tato),  and  six  scouts,  were  sent  to  our 
camping-place  of  the  15th,  with  orders  for  the  hunter 
and  his  six  scouts  to  follow  the  path  observed  there — 
inland — until  they  had  struck  the  trail  of  the  column, 
then  to  follow  the  trail  and  overtake  them,  and  return 
with  them  to  the  river.  On  the  boat's  return,  the 
coxswain  informed  me  that  they  had  seen  the  trail 
about  7  miles  (8  hours'  march).  I  concluded  that 
Mr.  Jephsoji  had  led  his  column  south,  instead  of 
E.  by  N.  and  E.  N.  E.,  according  to  course  of  river,  and 
that  Saat  Tato  would  overtake  them,  and  return  next 

Our  condition  at  the  river  camp  was  this.  We  had 
thirty-nine  canoemen  and  boatmen,  twenty-eight  sick 
people,  three  Europeans,  a. id  three  boys,  and  one  of  the 


r.  and 
ed  for 
lid  the 
11.  and 
:  there 
sv(hh1s, 
in  still 
)et,   or 
have 
ahea<l. 
aream, 
narrow 
,  as  the 
mi,  and 
Rapids. 
}cted   a 
)f  Itiri. 
•olumn, 
■  traces 
e  creek, 
matched 
nee    of 
inounce 

•lock," 
to  our 
hunter 
:here — 
•olumn, 
return 
irn.   the 
le   trail 
h1    that 
:ea(l     of 
rer.  and 
•n  next 

We  had 

•  ht  sick 
e  of  the 


K 


i^^s'r 


OUR    CONDJTJUX  AT  MABENGU  BAPIDS. 


i«; 


Europeans  (Lieutenant  Stairs)  was  suffering'  from  a  dan- 
gerous wound,  and  recjuired  the  constant  care  of  the  sur- 
geon. One  man  had  died  of  dysentery  at  Avisi})])a.  We 
liad  a  dying  idiot  in  eamp,  who  had  become  idiotic  some 
days  before.  We  had  twenty-nine  suffering  from  pleurisy, 
dysentery,  incura])le  debiUty,  and  eiglit  suffering  from 
wounds.  One  called  Khalfan  was  half  strangled  with 
the  wound  in  his  windpipe,  another  called  8aadi,  wounded 
in  the  arm,  appeared  dangerously  ill,  his  arm  was 
swollen,  and  gave  him  great  pain.  Out  of  the  thirty- 
nine  available  I  had  despatched  three  separate  paities 
in  difi'erent  directions  to  scout  for  news  of  the  missing 
column,  lest  it  was  striking  across  some  great  bend  to 
reach  the  river  a  long  distance  higher  up,  while  we,  una])le 
to  stir,  were  on  the  other  side  of  the  curve.  Across  the 
river  the  people  of  Itiri,  perceiving  we  were  so  (juiet  on 
our  side  of  the  river,  seemed  to  be  meditating  an  attack, 
and  only  two  miles  below  on  our  bank  was  the  large 
settlement  of  Maljengu,  from  whose  inhabitants  we 
might  hear  at  any  moment,  while  our  little  force  of 
thirty-nine  men,  scattered  in  various  directions,  were 
searching  for  the  missing  300.     But  the  poet  said  that 

it  became 

"  No  man  to  nurse  despair ; 
But  in  the  teeth  of  clenclied  antagonisms 
To  follow  the  worthiest  till  he  die." 


1«87. 
Aii^.  17. 

Itiri. 


!>iM 


u 


ill 


I  quote  from  my  diary  of  August  18th. 

The  idiot  fell  asleep  last  night.  His  troubles  are 
over,  and  we  have  buried  him, 

I  wonder  if  Tennyson  were  here,  who  wrote  such 
noble  lines,  what  he  would  think  of  our  state.  A  few 
days  ago  I  was  chief  of  370  men,  rich  in  goods,  muniti(jns 
of  war,  medicines,  and  contented  with  such  poor  ccmi- 
forts  as  we  had,  and  to-dtiy  I  have  actually  only  eighteen 
men  left  fit  for  a  day's  march,  the  rest  have  vanished. 
I  should  be  glad  to  know  where. 

If  389  picked  men,  such  as  we  were  when  we  left 
Yambuya,  are  unable  to  reach  Lake  Albert,  how  can 
Major  Barttelot  with  250  men  make  his  way  through 
this  endless  forest.     We  have  travelled,  on  an  average, 


I"'  w 


188 


IN  DAliKEtiT  AFlilL'A. 


ISH7. 
Aug.  IS. 

Itirt. 


I' 


1  I 


! 


8  hours  per  (Liy  for  foitv'tour  Jays  since  lejivinji;  Yani- 
•huya.  At  two  miles  per  liour  we  ouglit,  by  this  (Lite, 
to  liave  arrived  on  tlie  Lake  sliore,  l)ut,  instead  of 
heino-  tliere.  we  have  accomplished  just  a  tliii'd  of  tie 
distance.  The  poet  .says  we  must  not  "  nurse  despair,', 
for  to  do  tliat  is  to  lie  <lo\\n  and  die,  to  make  no  eti'ort, 
and  abandon  hope. 

Our  wounded  take  considerable  time  to  heal.  The 
swelling  is  increasing,  the  wounds  are  most  painful,  not 
one  has  yet  proved  tatal,  Imt  they  are  all  quite  incapa- 
citated from  <luty. 

The  fifth  rain  of  this  month  began  at  8  a.m.  Had  we 
not  enough  atHictions  without  this  perpetual  rain  ?  One 
is  almost  tempted  to  think  that  the  end  is  approach- 
ing. The  very  "  Hood  gates  of  heaven  "  seem  opened, 
and  nature  is  dissolving.  Such  a  })ody  of  rain  is 
falling  that  the  view  of  all  above  is  obscured  by  the 
amazing  fall  of  rain -drops.  Think  of  the  countless 
numbers  of  leaves  in  this  forest,  and  that  every  leaf 
drops  ten  to  twenty  times  per  minute,  and  tliat  from  the 
soaking  ground  rises  a  grey  cloud  of  minute  rain  in 
vapour,  and  that  tlie  air  is  full  of  floating  globules  of 
water  and  fivinii"  shreds  of  leaves  !  And  add  to  all  this 
the  intense  fall  of  rain  as  the  blast  comes  bearing  down 
the  top,  and  whips  drowning  showers  on  us,  and  sways 
the  countless  branches,  and  rushes  wailing  through  the 
glades  with  such  force,  as  though  it  Wouhl  wrench  the 
groaning  trees  out  of  the  earth.  The  moaning  and 
groaning  of  the  forest  is  far  from  comforting,  and  the 
crashing  and  fall  of  mighty  trees  is  far  from  assuring, 
but  it  is  a  positive  terror  when  the  thunder  rumbles 
above,  and  its  sounds  reverberatins*-  throu^'h  the 
aisles  and  crooked  corri(h)rs  of  tlie  forest,  and  the 
blazino;  lightnino'  darts  spitefullv  hither  and  thither  its 
forky  tongues  and  sheets  of  fiame,  and  explodes  over  our 
lieads  with  overwhelming  and  deafening  shocks.  It  would 
be  a  nist  relief  for  our  sick  and  wounded  to  be  free  of 
such  sounds.  \\\  European  ])attle  has  no  such  variety. 
And  tlirouii'hout  the  dav  this  has  continued  unceasinoly. 
It  is  now  about  the  tenth  hour  of  the  lay.     It  is  scarcely 


PEitrf'rnwL  itA/x  ix  the  forest. 


189 


possi1)le  (liiylig'.it  will  ever  appear  again,  at  least  so  1 
judge  from  the  liunian  faces  steeped  in  misery.  Tiieir 
owners  appear  stupeiied  by  terror,  woe,  sickness,  loss  of 
friends,  hunger,  rain  and  thunder,  and  general  wretched- 
ness. They  may  be  seen  crouching  under  plantain- 
leaf  sheds,  native  shields,  cotton  shelters,  straw  mats, 
earthen  and  copper  pots  above  their  heads,  even  saddles, 
tent  canvass  covers,  blankets,  each  body  wreathed  in 
blue  vapour,  self-absorbed  with  speechless  anguish.  The 
poor  a  ^es  with  their  ears  drawn  back,  inverted  eyes 
and  curving  backs,  captive  fowls  with  drooping  crests 
represent  abject  discomfort.  Alas  !  the  glory  of  this 
earth  is  (juite  extinguished.  When  she  finally  recovered 
her  beauty,  and  lier  children  assumed  their  proud 
bearinijr,  and  the  "rowino;  lakes  a!id  increasin<ij  rivers 
were  dried  up,  and  how  out  of  chaos  the  sun  rose 
to  comfort  the  world  again  I  know  not.  My  own 
feeling  of  misery  had  so  exhausted  me  that  a  long  sleep 
wrapped  me  in  merciful  oblivion. 

Aur/ust  I9th. — Still  w-ithout  news  of  land  caravan. 
The  scouts  have  returned  without  having  seen  any 
traces  of  the  missing.  Two  of  the  wounded  men  are 
doing  very  badly.  Their  sufterings  appear  to  be 
terrible. 

Au(/ust  20th. — Still  without  news  of  caravan.  Young 
Saadi  wounded  by  a  poisoned  arrow  on  the  morning  of 
the  14th,  is  attacked  with  tetanus,  and  is  in  a  very 
dangerous  condition.  Wherefore  I  take  it  to  be  a 
vegetable  poison.  Khalfan's  neck  and  spine  have  become 
rigid,  I  have  given  both  morphine  by  injection,  hut 
the  doses  though  doul)le,  tiuit  ir:  in  half  grains,  do  not 
appear  to  ease  the  sufierc-rs  much.  Stairs  is  just  the 
same  as  yesterday,  neitJier  worse  nor  better.  The  wound 
is  painful,  stil!  he  has  appetite,  and  enjoys  sleep,  I  fear 
the  effect  on  him  of  knowing  what  the  other  patients  are 
underooino'. 

It  is  strange  that  out  of  300  people  and  .'3  officers,  not 
one  has  sense  enough  to  know  that  he  has  lost  the  road, 
and  that  the  best  way  of  recovering  it  would  be  to 
retrace  their  steps  to  Avisibba  and  try  again. 


1887, 
Ausj.  18. 

Itiri, 


it: 


I,  i: 


190 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA, 


1MH7. 
Aug.  21. 

Itiri. 


iiii 


1 

!    ;    , 

It 

1       ! 


Afft/ffsf  2\sf. — Poor  Klialfaii  woiindod  in  the  windpipe 
on  the  lOtli  instant,  und  the  yonn<jj  feUow  Saudi  luut  on 
the  niornino;  of  the  14fl'  •  hoth  died  in  tlie  ni,<:;ht,  after 
intolerable  ao;onies —  i  4  a.m.,  Saadi  ahont  midnight. 

Khalfan's  wound  was  cjiused  l»y  a  poisoned  arrow  ;  hut 
the  poison  must  have  been  laitl  on  the  arrow  some  days 
before  it  was  used.  He  had  been  daily  getting  weaker 
from  Hl)stinence  from  food,  bectause  of  pain.  The  wound 
did  not  seem  dangerous  ;  it  had  closed  up,  externally, 
and  there  were  no  signs  of  intiammation  ;  but  the  poor 
fellow  complained  he  could  not  swallow.  He  had  sub- 
sisted on  li([uid  food  made  of  plaintain  flour  gruel.  On 
the  8th  day  his  neck  became  rigid  and  ctnitracted  ;  he 
could  not  articulate,  but  murmur  ;  the  head  was  inclined 
forward,  the  alxhmien  was  shrunk,  and  on  his  face 
lines  of  pain  and  anxiety  became  fixed.  Yesterday  he 
had  some  slight  spasms.  I  gave  two  injections  of 
half  a  grain  hypodermically,  which  relieved  him  for  an 
hour,  but,  not  much  accustcmied  to  treat  patients  with 
morphia,  I  feared  giving  larger  doses.  Saadi  was 
punctured  on  the  right  forearm,  midway  between  wrist 
and  elbow — a  mere  wound,  such  as  a  coarse  stocking 
needle  would  have  made.  The  wound  was  sucked  by  a 
comrade  ;  it  was  syringed  with  warm  water  and  dressed, 
but  on  the  moviing  of  the  fourth  day  he  was  attacked 
with  tetanus  of  so  severe  a  kind  that  his  case  was  hope- 
less from  our  sheer  inability  to  relieve  him  from  the 
frightful  spasms.  Morphia  injections  rendered  him 
slightly  somnolent ;  but  the  spasms  continued,  and 
Saadi  died  on  the  111th  hour  after  receiving  the  wound. 
I  am  inclined  to  think  that  the  arrow  was  smeared  for 
the  fight  of  the  1 4th  the  night  previous. 

A  third  man  died  of  dysentery  before  noon,  making 
the  fourth  death  in  this  camp. 

At  5  P.M.  the  caravan  arrived, 
been  great  from  mental  distress.  There  have  been  three 
deaths  also  in  the  land  column.  Maruf,  punctured  in 
shoulder,  died  of  tetanus  on  the  night  of  the  19th,  24 
hours  earlier  than  Saadi.  This  may  have  been  due  to 
the    travel    accelerating    the    action    of    the    poison. 


Its  sufferings  have 


Mi       <     r 


II  V|.,j 


J' '-^4! 


SUFFElilSaS   OF  MKMliEUS    OF  THE   CAltAVAN.     191 


One  man  n.iintMl  AH  was  shot  by  an  in)n-l)ail)LMl 
arrow,  and  (lie<l  of  internal  Inumorrlia^e,  the  arrow 
having  pierced  the  liver.  Another  succundted  to 
dvsentery  ininiediatelv  after  the  heavy  rain  which  had 
atHicted  us  on  the  1 8th  ;  thus  we  have  had  seven  fatal 
cases  since  the  1 4th.  We  have  several  others,  in  whom 
life  is  flickering.  The  column  brought  in  two  others 
wounded  bv  arrows.  The  wounds  are  much  inflamed, 
and  exude  a  gangrenous  matter. 

Lieut.  Stairs  still  appears  hearty,  and  appears  as 
though  he  was  recovering,  despite  the  influence  these 
many  deaths  might  have  on  his  nerves.  The  surgeon 
having  appeared,  I  feel  an  intense  relief.  I  hate  to  see 
pain,  and  take  no  delight  in  sick  men's  groans.  I  feel 
pleasure  in  ministering  to  their  needs  only  when  con- 
scious I  can  cure. 

We  have  now  a})out  373  in  camp,  but  GO  of  them 
appear  fitter  for  a  hospital  than  to  continue  our  wander- 
ing life  ;  but  in  this  savage  region  not  even  rest  and 
food  can  be  secured  for  the  weary  souls. 

A  few  more  davs  (^f  this  disheartening  work,  attend- 
ing  on  the  sick,  looking  at  the  agonies  of  men  dying 
from  lockjaw,  listening  to  their  muffled  screams,  o})serv- 
ing  general  distress  and  despondency,  from  hunger,  and 
the  sad  anxiety  caused  by  the  unaccountable  absence  of 
their  brothers  and  comrades,  with  the  loss  of  300  men 
impending  over  me  must  have  exercised  a  malign  influence 
over  myself.  I  am  conscious  of  the  insidious  advance  of 
despair  towards  me.  Our  food  has  been  })ananas  or 
plantains,  boiled  or  fried,  our  other  provisions  being  re- 
served for  perhaps  an  extreme  occasion  which  may  present 
itself  in  the  near  future.  The  dearest  passion  of  my  life 
has  been,  I  think,  to  succeed  in  my  undertakings  ;  but 
the  last  few  days  have  begun  to  fill  me  with  a  doubt  of 
success  in  the  present  one. 

What  the  feelings  of  the  officers  have  been  I  have  not 
heard  yet ;  but  the  men  have  frankly  confessed  that 
they  have  been  delivered  from  a  hell. 

The  following  note  has  just  been  placed  in  my 
hands : — 


1H«7. 
Auu.  .'I. 

Itiri. 


m 


192 


7.V   DAUKEST   AFUJCA. 


m 


"  A»,,nsf  1887. 


1HS7.  "  DwirSiu, 

•^"^'- "'•  "Sunt  Tato  rcaclii'd  us  n\  o  p.m.  yi'stonlay  with  ynir  nr  Icr  to 

'^'"■i-       follow  him.     Wo  ut  onoo  rccrnpsi'd  tlic  river  (tho  crook  which  tlic  luiat's 

crew  had  searchoil)  and  hojn-  to  reach  you  to-nij-dit.     I  can  understood 

how   i^'rcat  your  aiixicty   nuist    havi'   licrn,   and   deeply    regret   having; 

caused  it. 

"  1  liave  the  lioiionr  to  he, 

"Ac,        iVc,        ttc. 
"A.  M.  Jei'Hson." 

On  the  2211(1  we  moved  caiiip  to  the  foot  of  the 
highest  Ala))eii,L'u  Ivupids,  and  on  the  foUowing  day  pro- 
ceeded al)ove  tlie  ra})ids. 

I  then  took  the  op})oi'tuiiiiy  of  miisteiinjj;  the  people. 
The  foUowiim'  returns  tell  their  own  tale  : — 


.l-ultliy. 

Sick. 

Kittd. 

Li  ails. 

Company  No.  1     . 

.       SM 

0 

4 

43 

Captain  Stairs,  No. 

2    . 

.     Gil 

u 

o 

oO 

Ca])tain  Nelson,  No 

H   . 

.     07 

10 

4 

72 

Captain  Jephson,  N 

o. -1 

.     08 

21 

3 

72 

Europeans   . 

0 

Boys    . 

.     12 

Soudanese    . 

.     10 

Somalis 

0 

Cooks  . 

.      2 

Donkey  boy. 

1 

Sick    . 

.     57 
373 

Dead  . 

. 

.     10 

389 


r 


i:. 


The  experiences  of  the  column  during  its  wanderings 
appeared  to  contirm  me  in  my  impressions  that  the 
Aruwimi  in  this  region  of  rapids  was  not  so  much 
utilized  l)v  the  natives  as  it  was  l)elow.  Lai'o'e  settle- 
nieiits  had  been  discovered  inland  ;  the  scouts  had 
traversed  the  forest  l»v  several  well-trodden  tracks 
which  led  from  the  river  to  the  interior.  The  river 
banks  were  not  so  populous,  the  settlements  were  now 
generally  a  little  way  inland,  and  along  the  river  bank 
was  a  perceptible  path  which  materially  assisted  us. 
Ever  since  leaving  Utiri  we  had  noted  this  fact.  On  the 
24tli  we  travelled  a  few  miles,  and  camped  below  Avu- 
gadu  Rapids,  near  a  rich  plantain  grove,  and  the  next 


"ti^t 


HIE  x/:r<U\()  nivEii. 


108 


(lav  passe*]  the  ra[)i(ls  and  toiincMl  a  coiutortalilc  camp  in      iHSfi. 
a  sonu'wiiat   open    p())"ti(»n   of   tlic  forest,    liamited    l»y   ^"t?- '*''• 
tisliennen.      On    the   "JOtli    the    cohiinii   on    land   swunn'     u'jjr'l.r.'' 
aloiin'  at  a  ^ood  rate,  while  we  had  a  loiiu'  sti'ctcli  of  uii- 
distmhed  river,  and  had  to  pull    liai'd  to  keep  jiaee  with 
them    until   hoth   columns    met   in    one    of   the    lai'i;'est 
villages  of  the    Avejeli   ti'ihe  estalilished  in  fiont  of  the 
Xepoko  mouth. 

This  latter  river,  of  which  1  )i'.  Junker  was  the  first  to 
iid'oi'm  us.  and  which  he  had  ciossed  fai'  up,  tundiled 
into   the   Aruwinii.  now   ca'led    the    Itiri.  I>v  a  series  of 


cascades,  over  reefs  of  shaly  rock,  from  an  altitu<le  of 
40  feet.  The  mouth  was  about  .SCO  vards  wide,  narrow- 
ing  to  about  250  yards  above  tlie  cascade.  The  natives 
had  staked  a  considera]>]e  distance  of  the  reef,  to  wdiich 
to  attacli  their  lari^e  funnel-shaped  })askets  for  the 
recepti(jn  of  the  fish  kvashed  down  the  rapids.  The 
cohnir  of  the  Nepoko  was  of  chocolate,  that  of  the  Itiri 
was  of  tea  and  milk. 

Plad  I  known    that   one  week    later  1   shouhl    have 
encountered  Arabs,  and  their  desperate  bands  of  j\Ian- 
yuem;\,   there    is    no    doubt    that    1    should    have    en- 
voi.. I.  N 


i.i.: 


1^j4 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


Kopoko 
Kiver. 


|}    I 


1887.  (leavoured  to  put  u  de^TGe  of  latitude  between  the 
Aug.  2(,.  (.gn^j.(j  ,,f  tlieir  influence  and  our  route.  Even  as  it 
was,  I  mentally  debated  a  change  of  route,  from  some 
remarks  made  to  me  by  Binza  (Dr.  Junker's  Monbuttu 
boy),  who  suggested  that  it  were  better  to  travel  through 
lands  inhal)ited  by  "decent  men,"  to  such  a  horrid 
region  infested  by  peoples  who  did  not  deserve  the  name 
of  men  applied  to  them,  and  that  the  ^lomvu  tribes 
were  sure  of  according  a  welcome  to  those  who  could 
show  in  return  that  they  appreciated  hospitalitv.  Binza 
was  most  enticing  in  his  descriptions  of  the  M(mivu 
nation.  But  food  with  the  Avejeli  was  alaindant  and 
various,  and  we  hoped  that  a  change  had  come  over  the 
land.  For  ever  since  we  had  observed  a  ditlerence  in 
the  architecture  of  the  native  dwellings,  we  bad  observed 
a  change  for  the  better  in  the  diet  of  the  people.  Below 
Panga  Falls  the  aborigines  principally  subsisted  on 
manioc,  and  on  the  dift'erent  breads,  puddings,  cakes, 
and  porridges  to  which  they  c(jnverted  these  tubers.  It 
will  not  be  forgotten,  perhaps,  that  tapi(jca  is  made 
out  of  manioc  or  cassava.  But  above  Panoa  Falls 
manioc  had  been  gradually  replaced  by  plantain  groves 
and  the  })lantain  is  a  nnich  more  excellent  edible  than 
manioc  for  an  expedition,  and  the  groves  had  been 
clearly  growing  into  higher  importance,  therefore  we 
hoped  that  happier  days  were  in  store  for  us.  There 
were  also  fields  of  Indian  corn,  manioc,  yams,  and  colo- 
cassia,  plots  of  tobacco  for  the  smokers,  and  to  our  great 
joy  we  came  across  many  fowls.  A  halt  was  ordered 
that  the  sorely-tried  people  might  recu})erate. 

In  tlieir  very  excusaltle  eagerness  for  meat  the  Zanzi- 
baris  and  Scmdanese  were  very  reckless.  No  sooner  was 
a  fowl  siglite(l  than  there  was  a  general  scramble  for  it ; 
some  reckless  fellows  used  their  rifles  to  shoot  the 
chickens,  and  many  a  cartridge  was  ex})ended  uselessly 
for  which  due  |)unishment  was  frequently  awarded,  'i'he 
orders  were  most  positive  that  no  ammunition  was  to 
be  wasted,  and  the  efforts  made  to  detect  all  breaches  of 
uhese  orders  were  most  energetic,  but  when  did  a  Zanzi- 
bar! oltey  orders  when  away  from  his  employer's  eye  ? 


«,!;»       V.I 


1    the 

as   it 

some 
ilmttu 
irou.uli 
horrid 

name 

tril  )es 

couhl 

Binza 
lomvu 
lit  and 
vev  the 
mce  in 
)serve<l 

Below 
ted    on 

eakes, 
jrs.  It 
s  made 
a    Falls 

oroves 
ie  than 

1  l)een 
fore  we 
There 

(1    colo- 

u'  uieat 
ordered 

Zanzi- 
Inei-  was 
I?  tor  it ; 

loot  the 
iselesslv 
Id.     The 

WMS     to 

aches  of 

li  Zanzi- 

's  eye? 


RECKLESSXESS  OF  ZANZIIiAIil!^  AND  SOCDAXESE.       195 

The  indiscriminate  shootino-  of  this  dav  resulted  in  the 
shooting  of  one  of  the  brave  hand  of  hard-working- 
pioneers.  A  hnllet  from  a  Winchester  struck  him  in  the 
foot,  the  bones  of  which  were  pulverized  and  its  amputa- 
tion became  imperative.  Suroeon  Parke  performed  the 
operation  in  a  most  skilful  and  expeditious  manner,  and 
as  the  oood  suroeon  was  most  resolute  when  '"  one  of  his 
cases  "  re(juired  care — this  unfortunate  *  }'<»uni;  man  had 
to  be  lifted  in  and  out  hv  ei^ht  men,  must  nee<ls  have 
the  largest  share  of  a  canoe  that  nothing  might  otlend 
the  tender  wound,  and  of  necessity  reipiiredand  received 
the  most  bounteous  supply  of  the  best  food  and  to  have 
servants  to  wait  u})on  him — in  shcnt,  such  a  share  of 
o;ood  thino-s  and  readv  services  that  1  often  envied  him, 
and  thought  that  for  a  sixpence  in  addition  I  would  not 
mind  exchanging  places  with  him. 

Of  course  another  severe  lecture  followed,  and  there 
were  loud  protestations  that  they  would  all  pay  implicit 
attention  in  the  future,  and  of  course  before  the  next 
day  every  promise  was  forgotten.  There  is  nmcli  to  be 
said  for  these  successive  breaches  of  promise.  They 
relieve  the  mind  from  vast  care  and  all  sense  of  respon- 
sibility. No  restraint  burdens  it,  and  an  easy  gladness 
brightens  the  face.  Why  should  a  man,  being  an  animal, 
continually  fetter  himself  with  obligations  as  though  he 
were  a  moral  beiu"'  to  be  held  accountal)le  for  CNcrv  idle 
word  uttered  in  a  gushing  moment  ? 

On  the  28th  the  river  colunui  consisting  now  of  the 
Adi'thici'  steel  boat  and  sixteen  canoes,  pushed  uj)  river 
to  a  camp  five  miles  above  Avejeli.  The  land  })aity  was 
left  far  behind,  for  they  were  struggling  through  a  series 
of  streams  and  creeks,  and  buried  in  «lepths  of  sutlb- 
catingly  close  bush,  and  did  not  arrive  until  the  next 
day  at  noon,  when  thev  were  urged  to  proceed  about 
two  hours  highei',  whither  we  followed  them. 

We  arrived  at  the  foot  of  a  big  cataract  on  the  80th, 

*  Was  he  very  unfortuiiato  ?  I  paid  Upirrowwix  for  tliirtooii  months' 
hiiiU'd,  sent  liim  to  Stank-y  Falls,  thcnro  down  the  Coup)  and  l>y  sea  to 
Madeira,  n'u  tlie  C'1|k>  to  Zanziltar,  whero  ho  arrived  iu  a  statu  well 
described  hy  "  as  fat  as  butter." 


1887. 
Aug.  20. 

Nepoko 
Kiver. 


■i'' 
^1'/' 


196 


7.V  BARKE^T  AFlllCA. 


1887     and  by  o})serv;iti<)ii   ascertained   that   we    had    reached 
An-,  w.  jij^if^vay  to  the  Albert  Lake,  Kavalli  l)ein<,^  in  30^  30'  and 
Rn-ei  '    Yanibuva  in  "Jo"  85'.      Uur  camp  on  this  day  was  in  about 
27'^  47': 

We  liad  1();3  geofj;raplii<'al  miles  in  an  air  line  to  make 
yet,  which  we  could  never  accomplish  within  G4  days  as 
we  had  performed  the  western  half  of  the  route.  The 
people  were  in  an  impoverished  state  of  l)ody,  and 
mentally  depressed,  ulcers  were  ragin<4'  like  an  epidemic, 
anfiemia  had  sapped  their  vitality.  They  were  told  the 
half-way  camp  was  reached,  but  they  replied  with 
murmurs  of  unl)elief.  They  asked,  "  How  can  the  master 
tell  ?  Will  that  instrument  show  him  the  road  i  Will 
it  tell  him  which  is  the  path  i  Why  does  it  not  tell  us, 
then,  that  we  may  see  and  believe  ?  J)on't  the  natives 
know  their  own  country  better  '.  Which  of  them  has 
seen  orass  ?  Do  tliev  not  all  sav  that  all  the  world  is 
covered  with  trees  and  thick  bush  {  I'ali — the  master 
talks  to  us  as  though  we  were  children  and  had  no 
pro[)er  perception.' 

The  morning  of  the  evil  (kite,  August  31st,  dawned  as 
o\\  other  days.  It  struggled  through  dense  clouds  of 
mist,  and  finally  about  *J  o'clock  the  sun  appeared,  pale, 
indistinct,  u  mere  circle  of  lustreless  light.  But  in  the 
meantime  we  were  hard  at  our  fre([uent  task  of  cutting  a 
broad  highway  through  the  bush  and  forest,  through 
which  the  boat  c<)uld  be  carried  bodily  by  (50  men, 
standing  underneath  ;  the  crew  of  the  flotilla  were 
wrestling  with  the  mad  waters,  and  shoving  their 
vessels  up  steep  slopes  of  a  racing  river. 

The  highway  was  finished  in  an  hour,  and  a  temporary 
camp  was  located  ai>ove.  The  canoes  began  to  arrive. 
I  left  the  Doctor  to  superintend  the  pioneers  bearing  the 
boat,  but  he  presently  returned  to  report  that  the  boat 
c()uld  not  be  lifted.  I  retraced  my  steps  to  oversee  the 
operation  personally.  I  had  succeeded  in  conveying  it 
lialf  way  when  my  European  servant  came  running  at  a 
mad  pace,  crying  out  as  he  ran  :  "  Sir,  oh,  sir,  Eniin 
Pasha  has  arrived." 

"  Emin  Pasha  !  " 


n  1  -1.^ 


■cached 
]0'  and 
:i  ab(jut 

o  make 
days  as^ 
I.  "The 
ly,  and 
)ideniic, 
tohl  the 
!(!  wirh 
3  master 
?  Will 
;  tell  us, 

natives 
hem  has 
world  is 
e  master 

had  no 

iwned  as 
louds  of 
1,  pale, 
in  the 
nttino'  a, 
hi'ouuh 
0  men, 
a  were 
iin'   their 

mporary 
;)  arrive, 
irino-  the 
tlie  l)oat 
irsee  the 
reying'  it 
ling  at  a 
r,    Eniin 


e( 
1 


-J 
i 


< 


I  '5. ' 


1 


tl 


mi 


■    t 

i 
\ 


M 


■i,,ii 


MANiTEMA  MISTAKEN  FOR  EMTN  A.\D  FOLLOWEnS.     199 

"  Yes,  sir.  I  liave  seen  him  in  a  canue.  Hisredflao;, 
like  ours  (the  Egyptian),  is  }ioisted  up  at  the  stern.  It 
is  quite  true,  sir  !  " 

(.)f  course  we  bounded  forward  ;  the  boat  was  dropped 
as  thouojh  it  was  red  liot.  A  race  beujan,  master  and 
man  striving  for  the  lead.  In  the  camp  the  excitement 
was  also  general.  It  was  owing,  we  soon  heard,  to  the 
arrival  of  nine  Manvuema,  who  served  one  called  Uledi 
Balyuz,  known  to  natives  })y  the  name  of  I'garrowwa, 
and  who  was  reported  to  be  settled  about  eight  marches 
up  river,  and  commanding  several  hundred  armed 
men. 

The  Arabs  were,  then,  so  far  inland  on  tl;e  Upper 
Aruwimi.  and  I  had  flattered  myself  that  I  had  hoard 
the  last  of  these  rovers  I  We  were  also  told  tha!  here 
were  fifty  of  them  camped  six  miles  al)ove  on  their  way,  by 
orders  of  Ugarrowwa,  to  explore  tlie  course  of  the  river,  to 
ascertain  if  conmiunication  with  Stanley  Falls  could  ])G 
obtained  by  the  unknown  stream  on  whose  banks  they 
had  settled. 

We  imparted  the  information  they  desired,  whereupon 
they  said  they  would  return  t(j  their  camp  and  prepare 
for  a  hospitable  reception  on  the  morrow.  The  Zanzi- 
baris  were  considerably  elated  at  the  news,  for  wliat 
reason  may  shortly  l)e  seen. 

The  first  absconder  was  one  Juma,  who  deserted  with 
half  a  Imndredweiolit  of  biscuit  that  ni^lit. 

On  the  1st  September,  in  the  early  morning,  we  were 
clear  of  the  rapids,  and,  rowing  up  in  company  with  the 
caravan,  were  soon  up  at  the  village  where  the  Manyuema 
were  said  to  be  camped.  At  the  gate  there  was  a  dead 
male  child,  literally  hacked  to  pieces  ;  within  the  pal- 
isades was  a  dead  woman,  who  had  been  speared.  The 
jVIanyuema  had  disa})})eared.  It  seemed  to  us  then  that 
some  of  our  men  had  damped  tlieir  joy  at  the  encounter 
with  us,  by  suggesting  that  the  slaves  with  them  miglit 
pi'obably  cause  in  us  a  revulsion  of  feeling.     Suspicion 

of  this  caused   an   immediate  clianffe  in  their  feelinos. 
.  .  .  . 

Their  fears  impelled  them  to  decamp  instantly.     Tlieir 


1887. 
Aug.  31. 

Nepoko 
Kiver. 


80C1 


ety 


was    so    niu 


ch    reoretted,    however,    that    five 


\^M\ 


200 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


1887. 
Sept.  1. 

Nepoko 
Klver. 


Zanzi])uris,  taking  five  loads,  four  of  ammunition  and 
one  of  salt,  disappeared. 

We  resumed  our  journey,  and  halted  at  tlie  base  of 
another  series  of  rapids, 

Tlie  next  day  Saat  Tato,  liaving  explored  tlie  i-apids, 
reported  encouraoiiiojy,  and  expressed  liis  confidence 
that  without  much  difficulty  these  couhl  also  be  sur- 
mounted. This  report  stimulated  the  boatmen  to  make 
ancjther  trial.  AVhile  the  river  column  was  busy  in  its 
own  peculiar  and  perilc^us  work,  a  search  l)arty  was 
despatclied  to  liunt  news  of  the  missiuo;  men,  and 
returned  with  one  man,  a  b(»x  of  ammunition,  and  three 
rifles.  The  search  party  had  discovered  tlie  deserters  in 
the  forest,  with  a  case  of  annnunition  open,  which  they 
were  distiibuting.  In  trying  to  surround  tliem,  the 
deserters  became  alarmed  and  scudded  away,  leaving 
three  of  tlieir  riHes  and  a  case  behind  them. 

On  the  3rd  of  September  five  more  deserted,  carrying 
away  one  case  of  Remington  cartridges,  one  case  of 
Winchester  cartridges,  one  box  of  European  provisions, 
and  one  load  of  fine  Arab  clothing,  worth  £50.  Another 
was  detected  with  a  box  of  provisions  open  before  him, 
having  already  abstracted  a  tin  of  sago,  one  tin  of 
Liel)ig,  a  tin  of  l)utter,  and  one  of  milk.  Ten  men  had 
thus  disappeared  in  a  couple  of  days.  At  this  rate,  in 
sixty  days  the  Expedition  would  be  ended.  I  consulted 
the  chiefs,  but  I  could  gain  no  encouragement  to  try 
what  extreme  measures  would  effect.  It  was  patent, 
however,  to  the  dullest  that  we  should  be  driven  to 
resort  to  extremities  scjon  to  stop  this  wholesale  desertion 
and  theft.  Since  leaving  Yambuya  we  had  lost  forty- 
eight  rifles  and  fifteen  cases  of  Maxim,  Winchester,  and 
Remington  ammunition. 

The  day  following  four  men  deserted,  and  one  was 
caught  in  the  act  of  desertion.  The  ])eople  were  accord- 
ingly mustered,  and  sixty  men,  suspected  of  being 
capa))le  of  desertion,  as  no  head  man  would  guai-antee 
their  fidelity,  were  I'endered  helpless  by  abstracting  the 
mainsprings  of  the  rifles,  which  we  took  and  locked  up. 
Demoralisation  had  set  in  rapidly  sinc/e  we  had  met  the 


I 


WIJOLESALK   DKSEUTIOSlS   ASD    THEFTS. 


201 


|)OlvO 

1  liver. 


Manvuema.     Notliinn'  was  safe  in  their  hands.      Boxes     is;^?. 
liad  been  opened,  cloth  had  Iteen  stolen,  heads  had  heen    '""^'i'*- '^ 
pilfered,  ninch  amnumition   had  heen   taken  ont  of  the    ■"'''"'' 
eases,  and  either   thrown,  or  secreted   as  a  reserve,  1»\ 
the  way. 

On  September  5th  we  camped  near  IIil)p<>  Broads,  so 
called  because  the  river  was  tine  and  bioad.  and  a  lar^e 
herd  of  hi})po[)otami  were  seen.  The  site  of  our  resting 
2)lace  was  an  abandone<l  clearino-,  which  had  become  the 
haunts  of  these  ampliibije,  and  exipiisite  bits  of  ureen- 
Bward  caused  us  to  imaiiine  for  a  moment  that  possibly 
the  open  country  was  not  far.  Foragers  returned  after 
a  visit  into  the  interior,  on  both  banks,  with  four  ^oats 
and  a  few  bananas,  numbers  of  roast  rats,  cooked  beetles, 
and  slu^s.  On  the  (ith  we  reached  a  cataract  o])posite 
the  Bafaido  settlement,  where  we  obtained  a  res])ectable 
supply  of  plantains.  The  day  following'  we  drao«j,ed 
our  canoes  over  a  platform  of  rock,  over  a  projecting 
ledge  of  which  the  river  tumbled  10  feet. 

From  the  Bafaido  cataract  we  journeyed  along  a 
curving  river  to  Avakubi  l^apids,  and  forme<l  a  camj)  at 
the  landing-place.  A  path  led  hence  into  the  interior, 
which  the  hungry  people  soon  followed.  While  scouring 
the  country  for  food,  a  woman  and  child  were  found, 
who  were  brought  to  me  to  l»e  examined.  But  the 
cleverest  interpreter  was  at  fault.  No  one  understood  a 
syllable  of  the  meaningless  babble. 

Some  more  rapids  were  reached  the  next  (hiy.  AVe 
observed  that  the  oil-palm  flourished  throughout  this 
.section. 

Palm  nuts  were  seen  in  heaps  near  each  village.  We 
even  discovered  some  palms  lately  planted,  which 
showed  some  regard  for  posterity.  Achmet,  the  Somali, 
who  had  insisted  on  leavino-  Yambuva,  in  accom- 
panying  us  had  l)een  a  passenger  ever  since  we  had 
struck  the  river  above  Yankon<le',  was  reported  to  be 
dving.  He  was  said  to  suffer  from  melanosis.  What- 
ever  the  disease  might  be,  he  had  bec<)me  singubirly 
emaciated,  being  a  literal  skeleton  covered  lightly  with 
skin. 


# 


I:: 


I     ! 


s 


* 


mcimm 


1  1 

1887. 
Sept.  5. 

Nepoko 
River. 


202 


7.V   DARKEST  AFIilCA. 


From  this  camp  we  rounded  n  point,  2)a8sed  (n^er  a 
short  winding-  course  of  river,  and  in  an  hour  aj)proached 
in  view  of  an  awful  raging  stream  choked  })y  narrow 
})an]^s  of  shale.  The  outlook  Itevond  the  immediate 
foreview  was  first  of  a  series  of  rolling  wjives  \vhirlin<r 
and  tossed  into  s])ray,  descending  in  succeeding  lines, 
and  a  great  fall  of  about  .SO  feet,  and  above  that  a 
steep  slope  of  wild  rapids,  and  the  whole  capped  with 
mist,    and    tearing    down    tumultuously    towards    us. 


il' 


Mill!! 


Il 


\ 


This  was  appalling  consider- 
ing the  state  of  the  column. 
There  were  about  120  loads 
in  the  canoes,  and  })etween 
fifty  and  sixty  sick  and  feeble  people.  To  leave  these  in 
the  woods  to  their  fate  was  impossi}>le,  to  carry  the  h)ads 
and  advance  appeared  ecjually  so  ;  yet  to  drag  the  canoes 
and  bear  the.  ])oat  past  such  a  long  stretch  of  wild 
water  appeared  to  be  a  task  beyond  our  utmost  powers. 
Leaving  the  vessels  below  the  falls  and  rapids,  I  led 
the  Expedition  by  land  to  the  destroyed  settlement  of 
Navabi,  situated  near  a  bend  of  the  Itiri  (Aruwimi) 
above  the  disturbed   stream,   where  we   established  a 


n 


CAMP  AT  XAVAnr. 


203 


camp.     The  sick  drauged  themselves  after  the  caravan,     i887. 
those  too  feeble  and  helpless  to  travel  the  distance  were    ^,*^i'*'  ^ 
lifted  up  and  ))orne  to  the  camp.    Officers  then  mustered    "*^'*  ' 
the  companies  for  the  work  of  cutting  a  ))road  highway 
through  the  l)ush   and  hauling  the  c*anoes.     This  task 
occupied   two  whole  days,  while  No.  1  Company  foraged 
far   and   near    to   obtain    food,    but  with  only    partial 
success. 

Navabi  must    have    been    a    remarkable    instance  of 
aboriginal    prosperity    once.      It    possessed    groves    of 


ATTACKING    AN    ELEPHANT    IN    THE    ITUUI    HIVEU. 

the  elais  and  plantain,  large  plots  of  tobacco  and 
Indian  corn  ;  the  huts  under  the  palms  looked  almost 
idyllic  ;  at  jeast  so  we  judged  from  two  which  were  left 
standing,  ard  gave  us  a  bit  of  an  aspect  at  once  tropical, 
pretty,  and  apparently  happy.  Elsewhere  the  whole 
was  desolate.  Some  parties,  which  we  conjectured  be- 
longed to  Ugarrowwa,  had  burnt  the  settlement,  chopped 
nijiny  of  the  palms  down,  levelled  the  banana  plantations, 
and  strewed  the  ground  with  the  bones  of  the  defenders. 
Five  skulls  of  infants  were  found  within  our  new  camp  at 
Xavabi. 


204 


7.V   DMth'EST  AFRWA. 


$\^f 


1887. 
Sept.  12. 

Memberri. 


On  tlio  I'ith,  as  we  rciiiincd  onv  journey,  we  weri' 
('()nipt'll(,'(l  to  leuve  tive  men  \vli(t  were  in  an  un- 
conKcious  state  and  dyin^L"'.  A<'Innet,  the  Somali,  vvlioni 
we  liad  horiie  all  the  way  from  Vamhuya,  was  one 
of  them. 

I^'rom  Navahi  we  proceeded  to  the  laiidinsj,'  place  of 
."\Iemi)erri,  which  evidenrly  was  a  fiiMjuent  haunt  of 
<'lepliants.  ( )ne  of  these  not  far  off  was  observed 
hatliin^'  luxuriously  in  the  river  near  the  rio'ht  hank, 
ilun^rvfor  meat,  1  was  urt>ed  to  ti'v  my  chance.  On 
this  JvKpedition  1  had  armed  myself  with  the  E.xpress 
rilies  of  r)77-b(jre,  which  Indian  sportsmen  so  much 
apj)laud.  The  heavy  8-))ores  were  with  Major  J^arttelot 
and  Mr.  Jameson.  1  succeeded  in  planting  six  shots  in 
the  animal  at  a  few  yards  distance,  but  to  no  purpose 
except  to  unnecessarily  wound  liim. 

At  Memberri  we  made  a  muster,  and  according  to 
returns  our  num])ers  stood  : — 


Aujj;ust2^r(l 373  mon.. 

September  l"2tli  .....     343  nieu. 

14  deserted  and  IG  deaths ;  carriers  235  •  loads  227  ;  sick  58 


i''  ! 


:i;i''' 


Added  to  these  elo(]uent  records  every  member  of  the 
Expedition  suffered  from  hunger,  and  the  higher  we  as- 
cended the  means  for  satisfying  the  ever-crying  w^ant  of 
food  appeared  to  diminish,  for  the  Bakusu  and  Basongora 
shives,  under  the  Manyuema  head  men  of  Ugarrowwa, 
had  destroyed  the  plantations,  and  either  driven  the 
populations  to  unknown  recesses  in  the  forest  or  had 
extirpated  them. 

On  the  followino-  dav  we  readied  Amiri  ^alls.  The 
previous  (hiy  the  head  man,  Baadi,  had  })een  reproached 
for  leaving  one  named  ^hakupete  to  return  ah)ng  the 
track  to  search  for  a  box  of  ammunition  that  was 
reported  to  ]»e  missing,  whereupon  »Saadi  took  the 
unwise  resolution  of  proceeding  to  hunt  up  Makupete'. 
Then  one,  Uledi  ]\Janga,  disgusted  with  the  severe  work 
and  melancholy  prospect  before  us,  absconded  with 
another  box  of  ammunition. 


ll'h'   liEACII   rGAliliOWWAH   STATION. 


205 


We  liad  only  three  Zaii/ihari  donkeys  left.  Out  of 
the  six  with  which  we  had  started  from  Vainhuya,  one 
of  the  three,  prohahly  [)ossesst'd  with  a  |>i'esi'iitiiiieiit 
that  the  caravan  was  doomed,  took  it  into  his  head  that 
it  WHS  l)etter  to  return  hefore  it  was  too  late,  and 
deserted  also.  Whither  he  went  no  one  knew.  It  is 
useless  to  search  in  the  forest  for  a  lost  man,  donkey, 
or  ai'ticle.  Like  the  waves  divided  l>y  a  sjiip's  [)i'ow 
unitinjj;'  at  the  stern,  so  the  forest  enfolds  past  tindino; 
within  its  deep  shades  whatsoever  enters,  and  reveals 
nothino". 

Near  a  sin^si'le  old  fishino-  hut  our  cam[)  was  pitched 
on  the  15th.  'i'he  river  aftei'  its  immense  curve  north- 
ward and  eastward  now  trended  south-easterly,  and  we 
had  already  reached  S.  Lat.  1°  24'  from  V  58'.' 

Ilavino-  heen  in  the  habit  of  losino-  a  hox  of  ammu- 
nition  per  diem  for  the  last  few  days,  having'  ti'ie»l 
almost  every  art  of  suppressing  this  rohhery,  we  now 
lia<l  recourse  to  lashino-  the  ])oxes  in  series  of  eights,  and 
consignino'  each  to  the  care  of  a  head  man,  and  holding 
liim  res[)onsil)le  for  them.  This  we  hoped  would  check 
the  excuse  that  the  men  disappeared  into  the  forest 
under  all  kinds  of  wants. 

(hi  the  intli  of  September,  while  halting  for  the  mid- 
day rest  and  lunch,  several  loud  reports  of  musketry 
were  heard  up-river.  I  sent  8aat  Tato  to  explore,  and 
in  half-an-hour  we  heard  three  riHe-shc^ts  announcing 
success  ;  and  shortlv  after  three  canoes  besides  our  own 
appeared  h)aded  with  men  in  white  (b-esses,  and  gay 
with  crimson  flags.  These  came,  so  they  reported,  to 
welcome  us  in  the  name  of  Ugarrowwa,  their  chief,  who 
would  visit  my  evening  camp.  After  exchanging  com- 
pliments, they  returned  up-river,  firing  their  muskets 
and  sinoino-  oailv. 

At  the  usual  hour  we  commenced  the  afternoon  march, 
and  at  4  p.m.  were  in  camp  just  l)elow  Ugarrowwa's 
station.  At  the  same  time  a  voW  of  drums,  the  l)oom- 
ing  of  many  muskets,  and  a  flotilla  of  canoes,  announced 
the  approach  of  the  Arab  leader.  About  50  strong, 
robust    fellows   accompanied  him,   besides   singers    and 


Aniiri 

Falls. 


1    i,.! 


!    <j| 


i1 


!i     :i 


m 


206 


IX   TtAliKKsT  AFRICA. 


1887.  wonuMi,  every  one  ot"  whom  wa.s  in  prime  coiulitioii 
S«i'*/.'^-  ()flM)(ly. 
FiX.'  'i'^^'  leader  ,u!i\e  his  name  as  roan-owwa,  tlie  Zanzil)ar 
term  for  "■  Lualalta,"  or  native  name  of  "  Hnarawwa/' 
known  formerly  as  I'ledi  l^ialynz  (or  the  Consnls 
I  ledi).  Jlehad  aeeompanied  Captains  Speke  and(»i'ant, 
I  S(I()-.S,  as  a  tent-l)oy.  and  had  l»een  left  or  had  de- 
sei'ted  in  L^nvoro.  He  otfe'-ed  as  a  uift  to  ns  two  fat 
n<)iits  and  al)ont  40  lbs.  of  picked  rice,  a  few  ripe 
plantains,  and  fowls, 

Upon  askin^r  him  if  there  was  any  prospeet  of  food 
Ix'ing'  ol)taine(i  for  the  peo})le  in  the  vieinity  of  his 
station,  he  admitted,  to  our  sorrow,  that  his  followers  in 
their  heedless  wav  had  destroved  evervthin<;,  that  it 
was  impossil)le  to  cheek  them  because  they  were  furious 
{lU'ainst  the  "pagans"  for  the  bloodv  retaliation  and 
excesses  the  ahoriuines  had  committed  aoainst  many 
and  many  of  their  countrymen  during  their  search  for 
ivory. 

Asked  what  country  we  were  in,  he  re})lied  that  we 
were  in  Bunda,  the  natives  of  which  were  Bahunda  ; 
that  the  people  on  the  north  bank  in  the  neighlujurhood 
of  lus  station  were  called  Bapai  or  Bavaiya. 

He  also  said  that  his  raiders  had  gone  eastwai-d  a 
month's  journey,  and  lu^d  seen  from  a  high  hill  (Kasso- 
lolo  0,  ii  grassy  country  extending  to  the  eastward. 

Further  information  was  to  the  effect  that  his  caravan, 
fiOO  strong,  had  left  the  Lualaba  at  Kibonges  (above 
Leopold  K.),  and  that  in  nine  moons  he  had  travelled  the 
distance  of  370  geographical  miles,  al)out  a  N.E.  course, 
throughout  continuous  forest  without  having  seen  as 
much  grass  as  would  cover  the  palm  of  his  hand  ;  that 
he  had  only  crossed  one  river,  the  Lindi,  before  he 
sighted  the  Ituri.  as  the  Aruwimi  was  now  called  ;  that 
he  had  heard  from  Aral)  traders  that  the  Lulu  (Lowwa) 
rose  from  a  small  lake  called  the  Ozo,  where  there  was 
a  vast  (pumtity  of  ivory. 

Four  days  higher  Ugarrowwa  possessed  another  station 
maimed  with  100  guns.,  near  the  Lenda  river,  a  tribu- 
tary of  the  Aruwimi.  which  entered  it  from  the  south 


M 


I7.S77'    Tn    TIIK   A  UAH    SKTTl.h'MKXT. 


207 


hank.  His  people  had  sown  rice,  oi"  wliicli  he  had  lnoiiiiiit 
us  some,  and  onions  ;  Itut  near  eaeli  setth'inetit  was  n 
waste,  liH  it  was  not  [)oli(V  to  permit  such  "  mnnh'ious 
pagans"  to  exist  near  them,  otherwise  he  and  his  [)e(»pK''s 
lives  were  not  sate.  He  iiad  h)st  altout  200  men  of  tlie 
l^akusu  and  liasan^'ora  trihes,  and  many  a  tine  Manyuema 
headman.  One  time  he  had  lost  40,  of  whom  not  one 
ha<l  returned.  He  had  an  Aral)  uiu-st  at  his  station  who 
ha<l  lost  every  soul  out  of  his  caravan. 

I  observed  a  disposition  on  his  part  to  send  some 
men  with  me  to  the  Lake,  and  there  appeared  to  lie  no 
difficulty  in  housing'  with  him  my  sick  men  for  a  con- 
sideration—  to  l>e  hereafter  a<;ree(l  upon. 

On  the  17th  we  proceeded  a  short  distance  to  encamp 
o[)posite  L  .i^arrowwa's  station. 

In  the  afternoon  1  was  rowed  across  in  my  hoat  to  the 
Aral)  settlement,  and  was  hospitahly  received.  I  found 
the  station  to  he  a  lai-ye  setth'inent,  jealously  fenced 
round  with  tall  })alisades  and  short  planks  lashed  across 
as  screens  against  chance  arrows.  In  the  centre,  facino- 
the  river,  was  the  house  of  the  chief,  commodious,  lofty, 
and  conifortahle,  the  walls  of  which  were  pierced  for 
nuisketry.  It  resembled  a  fort  with  its  lofty  and 
frowning  walls  of  haked  (day.  On  passing  through  a 
passage  which  separated  L'garrowwas  private  apart- 
ments from  the  public  rooms.  I  had  a  view  of  a  great 
court  (10  feet  s([uare,  surrounded  by  buildings  and  tilled 
with  servants.  It  suiiuested  something'  baronial  in  its 
busy  aspect,  the  abundant  servi<'e,  the  great  difference 
of  the  domestics,  am})litude  of  sjiace,  and  plenty.  The 
place  was  certainly  im])iegnable  against  attack,  and, 
if  at  all  spiritedly  defended,  a  full  battalion  would  have 
been  necessary  to  have  captured  this  outpost  of  a  slave 
trader. 

I  was  informed  that  the  ii\er  for  many  days'  march 
a])peared  to  How  from  the  eastward  ;  that  the  lliui'u.  a 
considerable  distance  uj),  flowed  from  the  northward  and 
joined  the  Ituri,  and  that,  besides  the  Lenda,  there  was 
another  affluent  called  the  Ibina,  which  entered  from  the 
south. 


St'iit.  1"). 

.\miri 
Fiills. 


i 


!^^^^ 


li=!87. 
Sept.  17. 

Ufarrow- 
\va's 
station. 


\\i 


*lti^t 


J 


208 


JN    DAllKEST  AFIIICA. 


Somcwliere  liiirlior  ui)  also, — vaoiielv  oiven  as  ten  davs' 
1)V  orhois  tweiitv  days'  march, — aiiotlier  Aral)  was  settled 
who  was  called  Kilouoa-Loniia,  thoimh  his  real  name  was 
also  Uledi. 

At  this  settlement  I  saw  the  first  specimen  of  the 
trihe  of  dwarfs  who  were  said  to  be  thickly  scattered 
north  of  the  Itnri,  from  the  Xoaivu  eastward.  She 
measured  thirty-three  inches  in  height,  and  was  a  per- 
fectly formed  youn*"-  woman  of  aliout  seyenteen,  of  a 
glistening  and  smooth  sleekness  of  body.  Her  figure 
was  that  of  a  miniature  coloured  lady,  not  wanting  in  a 
certain  grace,  and  her  face  was  yery  pre[)ossessing.  Her 
com[)lexion  was  that  of  a  (piadroon,  or  of  the  colour  of 
yellow  iyory.  Her  eyes  were  magnificent,  hut  absurdly 
hirge  for  su'.-h  a  sma.U  creature — almost  as  lari»e  as  that 
of  a  young  gazelle  ;  full,  protruding,  and  extremely 
lustrous.  Absolutely  nude,  the  little  demoiselle  was 
(juite  })ossessed,  as  though  she  were  accustomed  to  he 
admired,  and  really  enjoyed  inspection.  She  had  been 
dis('(jyered  near  the  sources  of  the  Xgaiyu. 

Tgarrowwa,  haying  shown  me  all  his  treasures,  in- 
eluding  the  splendid  store  of  iyory  he  had  succeeded  in 
collecting,  accompanied  nie  to  the  boat,  and  sent  away 
with  me  large  trays  of  ex(|uisitely  cooked  rice,  and  an 
immense  bowl  full  of  curried  fowl,  a  dish  that  I 
am  not  fond  of,  l)ut  which  inspired  gratitude  in  my 
eam[). 

( hir  landing-place  presented  a  liyely  scene.  The 
sellei's  of  bana  las,  potatoes,  sugar-cane,  rice,  flour  of 
maiiioc,  and  fowls  clamoured  for  customers^  and  cloths 
and  beads  exchanged  hands  rai)idly.  This  is  the  kind 
of  life  which  the  Zanzibaris  delight  in,  like  almost  all 
other  natiyes,  and  their  hap[)y  spirits  were  expressed  in 
sounds  to  which  we  had  lon<>'  been  strangers. 

Early  this  morning  I  had  sent  a  canoe  to  pick  up  any 
stragglers  that  might  haye  been  unable  to  reach  camp, 
and  before  '^  p.m.  iiye  sick  men,  who  had  surrendered 
themsehes  to  their  fate,  were  brought  in,  and  shortly 
alter  a  nuister  was  held.  The  following  were  the  returns 
of  men  able  to  march  : — 


BETCJIXS    OF  MEN  ABLE    TO    MMIVII. 


209 


I  (lays' 
settled 
Lie  was 

of  the 

ittered 

8he 

a  per- 
il, of  a 

figure 
iig  ill  a 
.     Her 
lour  of 
l)sunlly 
as  that 
tremely 
He    was 
1  to  I'.e 
[\(\  been 

ires,  in- 

eded  in 

it  away 

and  au 

that    I 

in    my 

'.  The 
tlour  of 
d  cloths 
lie  kind 
most  all 
essed  in 

up  any 
■h  camp, 
•endeved 

shortly 
e  returns 


No.  1  Conii)aiiy 
No.  2 
No.  8 
No.  4 
Cooks    . 
I'.oy.s      . 
Europeans     . 
Soudanese 


Sick 


Departed  from  Yaiubuya 
Loss  by  desertion  and  d(!atli 


Men. 

Cliipfs. 

(jU 

4 

57 

4 

GO 

4 

Gl 

4 

ft 

9 

•  * 

G 

•  • 

G 

•  • 

271 

IG 

5G 

827 

389 

1887. 
Sept.  17. 

Ugarrow- 

wa's 
station. 


G2 


The  boat  and  canoes  were  manned,  and  tlie  sick 
transported  to  tlie  Arab  settlement,  arrano'cments  having 
been  made  for  boardinu'  them  .it  the  rate  of  five  (h)llars 
each  per  month  until  ^lajor  Barttelot  should  ajipear, 
or  some  person  bearing  an  order  from  me. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  we  met  Toarrowwa's  men 
on  the  ;]lst  of  August,  one  day's  march  from  Avejeli, 
o})posite  the  Nepoko  mouth.  These  men.  instead  of  pur- 
suing their  way  (h)wn  river,  had  retui'iied  to  L'garrowwa 
to  inform  him  of  the  news  they  had  received  from  us, 
believing  that  their  mission  was  acconi[)lished.  It  was 
Tgarrowwa's  wish  to  obtain  gun[)owder,  as  his  supply 
was  nearly  exhausted.  iMajor  Barttelot  ])ossessed  two 
and  a  (piarter  tons  of  this  e.\})losive,  and,  as  re})orted  by 
us,  was  advancing  up  river,  but  as  he  had  so  much 
ba^naoe  it  would  take  several  months  before  he  could 
ai'iive  so  far.  I  wished  to  communicate  with  Major 
Barttelot,  and  accordingly  1  stipulated  with  Igarrowwa 
that  if  his  men  continued  their  way  down  river  along 
the  south  or  left  bank  until  they  deUvered  a  lettei'  into 
his  hands,  1  would  give  him  an  order  for  three  hundred- 
weight of  powder.  He  promiscMl  to  send  forty  scouts 
within  a  month,  and  expressed  great  gratitude.  (He 
actually  did  send  them,  as  he  })romised,  between  the  lM)rh 
and  *25th  of  October.  They  succeeded  in  reaching  Wasp 
I'apids,  I  Of)  miles  from  Vambuva,  whence  thev  were 
obliged  to  return,  owing  to  losses  and  the  determined 
hostility  of  the  natives.) 

vol..  I.  o 


\V:\^ 


°"''jf»^ 

■ 

■ 

210 


1887. 
Sept.  17. 

Ugarrow- 

wa's 
station. 


w^m 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


Our  Zanzihari  deserters  had  been  deluded  like  our- 
selves. Imagining  that  Ugarrowwa's  people  had  con- 
tinued their  journey  along  some  inland  route  westward, 
they  had  hastened  westward  in  pursuit  to  join  them, 
whereas  we  discovered  they  had  returned  eastward 
to  their  master.  The  arrangements  made  with  U2:ar- 
rowwa,  and  the  public  proclamation  of  the  man  himself 
before  all,  would,  I  was  assured,  suffice  to  prevent  further 
desertion. 

We  were  pretty  tired  of  the  river  work  with  its 
numerous  rapids,  and  I  suggested  to  Ugarrowwa  that  I 
should  proceed  by  land  ;  the  Arab,  however,  was  earnest 
in  dissuading  me  fnmi  that  course,  as  the  people  would 
be  spared  the  necessity  of  carrying  many  loads,  the  sick 
having  been  left  behind,  and  informed  me  that  his  in- 
formation led  him  to  believe  that  the  river  was  much 
more  navigable  above  for  many  days  than  below. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


Ugarrow- 

wa's 

station. 


ITGARROWWA  S    TO    KILONGA-LONUA  S. 

Ugarrowwa  sends  iis  three  Zaiizibari  deserters — We  make  an  example 
— The  "Express"  rifles— Conversation  with  Rashid -The  lienda 
river — Troublesome  rapids-  Scarcity  of  food — Sonie  of  Kiloiiga- 
Longa's  followers — Meeting  of  the  rivers  Ihnru  and  Ituri — State 
and  numbers  of  the  Ex))edition — Illness  of  Captain  Nelson — Wo 
send  couriers  ahead  to  Kilonga-Longa's — The  sick  encampnuait 
— Randy  and  the  guinea  fowl  -Scarcity  of  food — Illness  caused 
by  the  forest  i)ears — Fanciful  menus — More  desertions — Asmani 
drowned — Our  condition  in  brief — Uledi's  suggestion — Umari's  climb 
—My  donkey  is  shot  for  food— We  strike  the  track  of  the  Manyuema 
and  arrive  at  their  village 

Onx'E  more  the  Expedition  c*on8i.sted  of  picked  men.  imi. 
My  mind  was  relieved  of  anxiety  respecting  the  rear  ^''^^^-  ^^ 
column,  and  of  the  fate  which  threatened  the  sick  men. 
We  set  out  from  Ugarrrowa's  station  with  180  hjads  in 
the  canoes  and  boat,  forty-seven  loads  to  be  carried 
once  in  four  davs  l)v  alternate  ccmipanies.  The  Aral)s 
accompanied  us  for  a  few  hours  on  the  19th  to  start  us 
on  our  road  and  to  wish  us  success  in  our  venture. 

We  had  scarcely  been  all  colle(;ted  in  our  camp,  and 
the  evening  was  rapidly  becoming  dusky,  when  a  canoe 
from  Ugarrowwa  appeared  with  three  Zanzibaris  bound 
as  })risoners.  Intjuiring  the  cause  of  this,  I  was  astonished 
to  find  that  tliev  were  deserters  whom  Uo^arrovrwa  had 
picked  up  soon  after  reaching  his  station.  They  had 
absconded  with  ritles,  and  their  pouches  showed  that 
they  had  contrived  to  filch  cartridges  on  the  road.  I 
rewarded  lloarrowwa  with  a  revolver  and  200  cartridges. 
The  prisoners  were  secured  for  the  night,  but  ))efbre 
retiring  I  de})ated  carefully  as  to  what  method  was  beat 
to  deal  with  these   people.     If  this  were  permitted  to 


I  ^ 


212 


1837. 

Sept.  10. 

Ustarrow- 

w.'i's 

station. 


IN  DABKI'JST  AFllJCA. 


proceed  without  the  strongest  measures,  we  should  in  a 
sliort  time  be  compelled  to  retrace  our  steps,  and  all  the 
lives  and  bitter  agonies  of  the  march  would  Jiave  been 
ex})ended  in  vain. 

\n  the  morninii'  "  all  hands  "  were  mustered,  and  an 
address  was  delivered  to  the  men  in  fittino"  words,  to 
wdiich  all  assented  ;  and  all  agreed  that  we  had  en- 
(leav(mred  our  utmost  to  do  our  dutv,  that  we  had  all 
l)orne  much,  but  that  the  people  on  this  occasion 
appeared  t(j  be  all  slaves,  and  possessed  no  moral  sense 
whatever.  They  readily  conceded  that  if  natives 
atteni[)ted  to  steal  our  ritles,  which  were  "  our  souls," 
we  should  be  justified  in  shooting  them  dead,  and 
that  if  men,  paid  for  their  labour,  protected  and  ti'eated 
kindly,  as  they  were,  attempted  to  c-ut  our  tliroats  in  the 
nii>:it,  were  eciuallv  liable  to  be  shot. 

"  W  ell  then,"  said  I,  "  what  are  these  doino'  but  taking' 
our  arms,  and  running  away  with  our  means  of  defence. 
You  say  that  you  would  shoot  natives,  if  they  stood  in 
your  way  preventing  your  progress  onward  or  reti'eat 
Itackward.  What  are  these  doing  (  For  if  you  have  no 
riHes  left,  or  ammunition,  can  you  mai'cli  either  forward 
or  backward  { " 

"  No,"  they  admitted. 

"  Very  well,  then,  you  have  condemned  them  to  death. 
One  shall  die  to-day,  another  to-morrow,  and  anothei' 
the  next  day,  and  fnmi  this  day  forward,  every  thief  and 
deserter  who  leaves  his  duty  and  imperils  his  comrades' 
lives  shall  die." 

The  culprits  were  then  (juestioned  as  to  who  they 
were.  One  re})Hed  that  he  was  the  slave  of  Farjalla-bill 
Ali — a  headman  in  No.  1  company  :  another  that  he  was 
the  shive  of  a  Jjanyan  in  Zanzibar,  and  the  third  that  he 
was  the  slave  of  an  artizan  at  work  in  Unvanvembe'. 

Lots  were  cast,  and  he  who  chose  the  shortest  paper 
of  three  slips  was  the  one  to  die  first.  The  lot  fell  upon 
the  slave  of  Kai'jalla,  who  was  then  present.  The  rope 
was  heaved  over  a  stout  branch.  Forty  men  at  the 
woi'd  of  connnaiid  lay  hold  of  the  rope  and  a  noose  was 
erst  round  the  pi'isoner's  neck. 


iiv;  J/.IA7-;  EXAMPLES  OF  'J'// 1,' /■:/■:  i>i-:si-:in'i:i!s. 


2ia 


Mith. 


thev 


)a])i'i' 

upon 

rope 

the 

ii  was 


'•  Have  you  anything  to  .say  ])efore  the  word  iw 
given  { 

He  replied  with  a  sliake  of  the  liead.  The  signal  was 
given,  and  the  man  was  hoisted  up.  Ikdoi-e  the  last 
sti'uggles  were  over,  the  Expedition  had  tiled  out  of 
camp  leaving  the  rearguard  and  river  colunri  beliind. 
A  rattan  was  substituted  in  place  of  our  rope,  the  hody 
was  secured  to  the  tree,  and  within  fifteen  minutes  the 
camp  was  abandoned. 

We  made  i>()od  progress  on  this  da  v.  A  track  ran 
ahmii  the  river  which  iireatlv  assisted  the  caravan.  In 
pa.s.sing  through  we  .searched  and  found  only  ten 
bunches  of  miniature  plantains.  We  formed  camp  an 
hour's  distance  from  the  confluence  of  the  Lenda  and 
Ituri. 

xAnother  noble  tu.sker  was  bathing  opposite  the  rivei', 
and  Captain  Nelson,  with  a  double-barrelled  I'ifle,  similar 
to  my  own,  my.self,  and  Saat  Tato  the  hunter,  ci-ossed  over 
and  floated  tlown  within  fifteen  yards  of  the  elephant. 
We  fired  three  bullets  sinudtaneouslv  into  him.  and  in  a 
.second  had  planted  two  more,  and  yet  with  all  this  lead 
fired  at  vital  parts  the  animal  contrived  to  e,scaj)e. 
From  this  time  we  lost  ail  confidence  in  these  I'ifles. 
We  never  bagged  one  head  of  game  with  the  Ex})re,s.ses 
during  the  entire  Expedition.  Captain  Nelson  .sold  his 
rifle  for  a  small  supply  of  food  to  Kilonga- Longa  .some 
time  afterwards,  and  1  pai-ted  with  mine  as  a  gift  to 
Antari,  King  of  Ankori.  nearlx'  two  years  later.  With 
the  No.  8  or  No.  10  IJeilly  rifle  I  was  always  succe.ssful, 
therefore  tho.se  interested  in  such  thin<!s  mav  avail 
them.selves  of  our  exj)erience. 

As  the  next  day  dawned  and  a  grey  light  broke 
through  the  undtrageous  co})ing  of  the  camp  I  despatched 
a  boy  to  call  the  head  chief  Ivashid. 

"  Well,  liashid,  old  man.  we  shall  have  to  execute 
the  other  man  ])re.sentl\'.  It  will  .so(»n  be  time  to  pre- 
pare for  it.      What  do  you  ,siy  i  " 

"  Well,  what  can  we  do  eUc  than  kill  those  who  ai'e 
trying  to  kill  us?  If  we  point  to  a  pit  filled  at  the 
I'Ottom  ^^ith  pointed   pales  and  poisoned  skewers,  and 


ISST. 
.Sopt.  19. 

L'giirrow- 
ftatiim. 


% 


•■)■■  ['i^r^  • 


214 


IN  DA  UK  EST  AFRICA. 


wa  s 
station. 


I 


!! 


It 

h 


1887.  tell  men  to  beware  of  it,  surely  we  are  not  to  blame  if 
Sept.  20.  j^^gjj  y|jy^  their  ears  to  words  of  warning  and  sprnig  in. 
^'Hl'T'  On  their  own  heads  let  the  guilt  lie." 

"  But  it  is  very  hard  after  all.  Rashid  bin  Omar,  this 
forest  makes  men's  hearts  like  lead,  and  hunger  has 
driven  their  wits  out  of  their  heads  ;  nothino-  is  thouoht 
of  but  the  empty  belly  and  erying  stomach.  I  have 
heard  that  when  mothers  are  driven  by  famine  the}-  will 
sometimes  eat  their  children.  Why  should  we  wonder 
that  the  servant  runs  away  from  his  master  when  he 
cannot  feed  him  ?  " 

"  That  is  the  truth  as  plain  as  sunshine.  But  if  we 
have  to  die  let  us  all  die  together.  There  are  plent}'  of 
eood  men  here  who  will  i>ive  vou  their  hearts  whenever 
you  bid  them  do  it.  There  are  others  —  slaves  of 
slaves — who  know  nothino-  and  care  for  nothino-  and  as 
they  W(juld  fly  with  what  we  need  to  make  our  own 
lives  sure,  let  them  perish  and  rot.  They  all  know  that 
you,  a  Christian,  are  unaergoing  all  this  to  save  the 
sons  of  Islam  who  are  in  trouble  near  some  great  sea, 
beyond  here  ;  they  profess  Islam,  and  yet  would  leave 
the  ('hristian  in  the  bush.     Let  them  die." 

"  But  supposing,  Rashid.  we  could  prevent  this  break- 
up and  near  ruin  by  some  other  way  not  quite  ho 
severe  as  to  hang  them  up  until  they  are  dead  ;  v.'hat 
would  you  say  'i  " 

"  I  would  say,  sir,  that  all  ways  are  good,  but,  without 
doubt,  the  best  is  that  whicili  will  leave  them  living  to 
repent." 

"  Good,  then,  after  my  coffee  the  muster  will  ])e 
sounded.  jVleanwhile,  prepare  a  long  rattan  cable ; 
double  it  over  that  stout  l)ranch  vonder.  ^lake  a  mnnl 
noose  of  a  piece  of  that  new  sounding  line.  Get  the 
pi'isoner  ready,  put  guards  over  him.  then  when  you 
hear  the  trumpet  tell  these  words  in  the  ears  of  the 
other  chiefs,  '  Gome  to  me,  and  ask  his  pardon,  and  I 
will  give  it  you.'  1  shall  look  to  you,  and  ask  if  you 
have  anything  to  say;  i  hat  will  be  your  signal.  How 
do  you  like  it  ?  " 

"  Let  it  be  as  vou  sav.     The  Lien  will  answer  you." 


'1.]^ 


me 


if 


ig  in. 


L',  tliii^ 
r  lias 
ought 
luive 
ty  will 
onder 
en  he 

if  we 
ntv  of 
enever 
^'es  of 
and  a.s 
ir  own 
w  that 
ve  the 
at  sea, 
1  leave 

break- 
Uite    so 
vrliat 


tliout 


VI 


vmg  to 


kvill  he 
-ahle  ; 
a  goo<l 
^et  the 
en  vou 
of  'the 
and  I 
if  you 
How 


AN  EMOTIONAL   SCENE. 


215 


you. 


In  half-an-hour  the  muster  signal  sounded  ;  the  com- 
panies formed  a  square  enclosing  the  prisoner.  A  long 
rattan  cable  hung  suspended  with  the  fatal  noose 
attached  to  a  loop  ;  it  trailed  along  the  ground  like  an 
immense  serpent.  After  a  short  address,  a  man  ad- 
vanced and  placed  the  noose  around  the  neck ;  a  com- 
pany was  told  otf  to  hoist  the  man  upward, 

"  Now,  my  man,  have  you  anything  to  say  to  us 
before  vou  join  your  brother  who  died  yesterdav  ? " 

The  man  remained  silent,  and  scarcely  seemed 
conscious  that  I  spoke.  I  turned  round  to  the  head 
man.  "  Have  you  anything  to  say  ])efore  I  pass  the 
word  ? " 

Then  Rashid  nudged  his  brother  chiefs,  at  which 
they  all  rushed  up,  and  threw  themselves  at  my  feet, 
pleading  forgiveness,  blaming  in  harsh  terms  the  thieves 
and  murderers,  l)ut  vowing  that  their  behaviour  in 
future  would  be  better  if  mercy  was  extended  for  this 
one  time. 

During  this  scene  the  Zaiizil)aris'  faces  were  worth 
observing.  How  the  eyes  dilated  and  the  lips  closed, 
and  their  cheeks  became  pallid,  as  with  the  speed  of  an 
electric  flash  the  same  emotion  moved  them  ! 

"  Enough,  children  !  take  your  man,  his  life  is  yours. 
But  see  to  it.  There  is  only  one  law  in  future  for  him 
who  robs  us  of  a  ritle,  and  that  is  death  by  the  cord." 

Then  such  a  manifestation  of  feeling  occurred  that  I 
was  amazed — real  big  tears  rolled  down  many  a  face, 
while  every  eye  was  suti'used  and  enlarged  with  his 
})assionate  emotions.  Caps  and  turbans  were  tossed 
nto  the  air.  Rities  were  lifted,  and  every  right  arm 
was  up  as  they  exclaimed  "  Until  the  white  cap  is 
])uried  none  shall  leave  him  !  Death  to  him  who  leaves 
Bula  Matari !  Show  the  way  to  the  Xvanza  !  Lead  on 
now — now  we  will  follow  !  " 

Nowhere  have  1  witnessed  such  affecting  excitement 
except  in  Spain  —  perhaps  when  the  Repuljlicans 
storniily  roared  their  sentiments,  after  listening  to  some 
glorious  exhortations  to  stand  true  to  the  new  faith  in 
Libertad,  Igualdad,  and  Fraternidad  ! 


1887. 
Si'i'.t.  •-'(). 

L'garrow- 

wa's 
station. 


^  t  r 


l\ 


' 


:il|i# 


216 


IN  DAUKKST  A  Fine  A. 


Wll  s 

station. 


1887.  The  pris(»iioi'  also  wept,  aiul  at'tor  tlie  noose  was  flimo- 
Sopt.  20.  ;isi(|(\  knclr  down  and  vowed  to  die  at  iiiy  feet.  We 
i,Mirow-  j^ii^j^^j^.  hands  and  I  said,  "It  is  Ood's  woi'k,  thank 
llini." 

Meiiily  the  trnni[)et  l)hii'ed  once  nioi-e,  and  at  once 
rose  every  voice,  "  liy  the  hel[)  of  (iod  I  \\\  the  help  of 
(xod  ! "  The  detail  for  tlie  day  spi'ano-  to  their  posts, 
received  their  heavy  load  for  the  day,  and  marched 
away  rejoicing  as  to  a  feast.  Even  the  ofticei-s  smiled 
their  approval.  Never  was  there  such  a  nnniher  of 
warmed  hearts  in  the  forest  of  the  Congo  as  on  that 
day. 

The  land  and  river  columns  reached  the  Lenda 
within  an  hour,  and  about  the  same  time.  This  was 
.apparently  a  deep  river  about  a  hundred  yards  wide. 
On  the  west  side  of  the  conHuence  was  a  small  village, 
l)ut  its  plantain  groves  had  been  long  ago  despoiled  of 
fruit.  Soon  after  the  ferriage  was  completed  the  men 
were  permitted  to  scour  the  country  in  search  of  food  ; 
scmie  on  the  north  bank,  and  others  on  the  south  bank, 
but  lono-  before  ni<>ht  thev  all  returned,  havinii;  been 
unable  to  find  a  morsel  of  any  kind  of  edible. 

On  the  22nd,  while  pursuing  our  \«'ay  by  river  and 
by  land  as  usual,  1  '-etlected  that  only  on  th*^  IHtli  I  had 
left  fifty-six  invalids  under  the  care  of  an  Ai'ab  ;  yet 
on  observing  the  })eople  at  the  muster,  I  noticed  that 
there  were  about  fifty  already  incapacitated  by  debility. 
The  very  stoutest  and  most  prudent  were  pining  under 
such  protracted  and  mean  diet.  To  press  on  through 
such  wastes  unpeopled  l»y  the  ivory  hunters  appeared 
sim})ly  im[)ossil)lG,  but  on  arriving  at  Umeni  we  had  the 
good  fortune  to  find  sufficient  for  a  full  day's  rations, 
and  hope  again  filled  us. 

The  following  dav,  one  man,  called  "  Abdallah  the 
humped,"  deserted.  We  on  the  rixer  were  troubled 
with  several  rapids,  and  patches  of  br(jken  water,  and 
in  discharging  cargo.  an<l  hauling  canoes,  and  finally 
we  came  in  view  of  a  fall  of  forty  feet  w^ith  lengths  of 
I'apids  above  and  below. 

One  would  have  thought  that  by  this  time  the  Ituri 


!  i> 


TIloriU.F.soME    It  A  I'lDH. 


2i] 


would  liave  beroinc  an  iusiniiiticaiit  stream.  1»im  wlicn 
we  HJiw  the  voliune  of  water  precipitated  over  'he  third 
larii'e  eutaruct,  we  had  to  ackiiowledii-e  that  it  was  still  a 
pnverful  river. 

The  24tli  was  passed  l)y  lis  in  foraoino-,  and  cuttino'  a, 
hiiihwav  to  above  the  ra])ids  and  disconnectinu  boat 
sections  for  transport.  The  ])ioneers  secured  a  fair 
(pjantity  of  plantains,  tlie  three  other  companies 
nothing.  '^!'he  obstructions  to  this  cataract  (consisted  of 
reddish  schistose  rock. 

On  the  next  dav  we  were  clear  of  the  third  cataract 
and  halted  at  an  old  Arab  encampment.  Durinu'  this 
day  no  new  supply  of  food  was  obtained. 

The  day  following  we  reached  another  series  of 
rapids,  and  after  a  terrible  day's  work  unloading  and 
reshipping  several  times,  with  the  fatigues  and  anxiety 
incurred  during  the  mounting  of  the  dangerous  rapids, 
we  reached  camp  opposite  Avatiko. 

Plow  useful  the  boat  and  eanoes  were  to  us  may 
be  imagined  from  the  fact  that  it  reipiired  us  to  make 
three  round  trips  to  carry  227  loads.  Even  then  it 
oceupied  all  the  healthy  men  until  night.  The  people 
were  so  reduced  by  hunger,  that  over  a  third  could  d(^ 
no  more  than  crawl.  I  was  personally  reduced  to  t^vo 
bananas  on  this  dav  from  morning  to  night.  Bur  some 
of  our  Zanzil)aris  had  found  nothing  to  sul)sist  on  for 
two  entire  days,  whieh  was  enough  to  sap  the  strength 
of  the  best.  A  foraging  party  of  No.  1  Company  crossed 
the  river  to  Avatiko  settlement,  and  found  a  small 
supply  of  young  fruit,  but  they  captured  a  woman  who 
stated  that  she  knew  and  could  guide  us  •  »  plantains  as 
large  as  her  arms. 

The  27th  of  Septem])er  was  a  halt.  [  despatched 
Lieutenant  Stairs  to  explore  ahead  along  the  river,  and 
180  men  across  river  to  forage  for  food,  with  our 
female  captive  as  guide.  The  former  returned  to  report 
that  no  village  had  been  seen,  and  to  detail  an  excitiiig 
encounter  he  had  had  with  elephants,  fnmi  which  it 
appeared  he  had  a  narrow  escape.  The  Zanzibaris 
came  back  with  sufficient  plantains  to  distribute  frijni 


1887. 
Sept.  •2^^ 

Itiiii 
Kiv.r. 


«i!1 


4   j 


f|i^4 


Se 
Avatiko 


218 


7.V  DA  UK  EST  AFRICA. 


1887.     sixty  to  eighty  per  man.     If  tlie  people  had  followed 
'■''•"'•   our  plan  of  economisin**;  the  food,  we  should  have  had 


less  suffering-  to  record,  hut  tlieir  api)etites  were  usually 
ungo vernal )le.  Tlie  (juantity  now  distrihuted  impartially, 
ouL>lit  to  have  served  them  for  from  six  to  eiti'lit  davs, 
but  several  sat  up  all  night  to  eat,  trusting  in  ()l(jd  to 
supply  them  with  more  on  peremptory  demand. 

On  the  30th  the  river  and  land  parties  met  at  lunel 
time.  This  day  the  otHcers  and  myself  enjoyed  a  feast. 
Stairs  had  discovered  a  live  antelope  in  a  pit,  and  I 
had  discovered  a  mess  of  fresh  fish  in  a  native  hasket- 
net  at  the  mouth  of  a  small  creek.  In  the  afternoon 
we  camped  at  a  portion  of  the  river  hank  which  slujwed 
signs  of  its  Ijeing  used  as  a  landing  near  a  ferry.  Soon 
after  camping  we  were  startled  by  three  shots.  These 
indicated  the  presence  of  Manyuema,  and  presentl}' 
about  a  dozen  fine-looking  )nen  stalked  into  the  camp. 
They  were  the  followers  of  Kilonga-Longa,  the  rival  of 
LIgarrowwa  in  the  career  of  devastation  to  which  these 
two  leaders  had  committed  themselves. 

The  jManyuema  informed  us  that  Kilonga-Longa's 
settlement  was  but  five  davs'  icjurnev,  and  that  as  the 
country  was  uninhabited  it  would  be  necessary  to 
provide  rations  of  plantains  which  could  be  procured 
across  river,  and  that  stdl  a  month's  journey  lay  between 
us  and  the  grass  land.  They  advised  us  to  stay  at  the 
place  two  days  to  prepare  the  f(jod,  to  which  we  were 
very  willing  to  agree,  the  discovery  of  some  kind  of 
provisions  being  imi)erati\'e. 

During  the  first  day's  halt,  the  search  for  food  was 
unsuccessful,  but  on  the  second  day  at  early  dawn  a 
strong  detachment  left  for  the  north  bank,  under 
Lieutenant  Stairs  and  Surgeon  Parke.  In  the  afternoon 
the  foragers  returned  with  sufficient  plantains  to  enal)le 
us  to  serve  out  fortv  to  each  man.  Some  (^f  the  most 
enterprising  men  had  secured  more,  but  extreme  want 
had  rendered  them  somewhat  unscrupulous,  and  they 
had  contrived  to  secrete  a  small  reser\'e. 

On  the  3rd  of  October,  soon  after  leaving  our  camp 
in  the  morning,  we  entered  into  a  pool-like  formation, 


1 


■^  i 


SCARCTTY   OF  FOOD. 


219 


lowed 
e  hatl 
sually 
tially, 
(Ui\>. 
Uk\  t(i 

lunch 
,  feast, 
and  1 
)asket- 
srnoon 
iliowcd 
Soon 
These 
3sently 
camp, 
[ival  of 
1  these 

<onga's 
as  the 
iry  to 
L'ocured 
•etwee  n 
at  the 
e  were 
and  of 

od  was 
dawn  a 

under 
ternoon 

enahle 
le  most 
le  want 
id  they 

ir  camp 
mation, 


1     n  St.irvHtion 

renunded     c,„„j,. 


surrounded  by  hills  rising'  from  250  to  GOO  feet  ahovc 
the  river,  and  arrivin<jj  at  the  end  saw  a  crooked,  ditch- 
like, and  very  turhulent  stream.  The  scener\ 
us  of  a  miniature  Congo  canon,  haidvcd  as  it  was  with 
lines  of  lofty  hills.  A  presentiment  warned  us  that  we 
were  alumt  to  meet  more  serious  obstacles  than  any  we 
had  yet  met.  We  progressed,  however,  U])war<l  ahout 
three  miles,  but  the  difficulties  of  advance  were  so 
numerous  that  we  were  unable  to  reach  the  caravan 
camp. 

On  the  4th  we  proceeded  about  a  mile  and  a  half, 
and  crcjssed  the  Expedition  to  the  north  bank,  as  we 
had  been  told  that  the  Manyuema  settlement  of  l2)<>to 
was  situated  on  that  side.  The  Manyuema  had  dis- 
appeared, and  three  of  our  deserters  had  accompanied 
them.  Two  men  had  also  died  of  d\'sentery.  AVe 
experienced  several  narrow  escapes  ;  a  canoe  was  twice 
submerged,  the  steel  boat  was  nearly  lost,  and  the 
severe  bumping  she  received  destroyed  the  rate  of  our 
chronometers,  whi('h  hitherto  had  been  regular.  I 
should  have  abandoned  the  river  on  this  dav,  but  the 
wihlerness,  the  liorri))le,  hmely,  uninhabited  wilderness, 
and  the  excessive  physical  prostration  and  weakness  of 
the  people,  forbade  it.  We  hoped  and  hoped  that  we 
should  be  able  to  arrive  at  some  place  where  food  and 
rest  could  be  obtained,  which  a^^peared  improl)a])le, 
except  at  Kilonga-Longa's  settlement. 

The  next  day  we  arrived,  at  10  a.m.,  after  a  pusli 
through  terribly  wild  water,  at  a  sharp  bend  cur\ing 
eastward  fr(mi  N.E.,  distiuiiuished.  bv  its  similarity  of 
outUne  on  a  f-mall  scale  to  Nsona  Mamba,  of  the  Lower 
Congo.  Stepping  on  shore  before  we  had  gone  far 
within  the  bend,  and   standing  on  scmie  lavadike  rock, 


18H7. 

Oc  t. ;». 


I 


saw   at   a   glance    that   this    was    ihe    end    of  ri^-er 


navigation  by  canoes.  The  hills  rose  up  to  a  })older 
height,  (juite  GOO  feet,  the  stream  was  contracted  to  a 
width  of  twenty-five  yards,  and  about  a  hundred  yards 
al)ovT-  the  point  on  which  1  stood,  the  Ihuru  escaped, 
wild  and  furious,  from  a  gorge  ;  while  the  Ituri  was  seen 
des(!ending  from  a  height  in  a  series  of  cataracts,  and, 


'    I*' 


220 


fX    DA  UK  EST  A  nil  ('A. 


1  tji 


f| 


I'll 


li 


I 


Staivatiii 
("limp. 


Imtli  uiiitin;^'  jit  tliis  point,  find  racing'  madly  at  the 
liiiihcst  pitch  and  velocity,  licllowcd  their  nproar  londly 
union<!st  tile  enii»a!d\inu'  and  somhi-e  loi-est   hei<jhts. 

I  sent  messengers  across  tlie  river  to  recall  the 
caravan  which  was  undi'r  the  leadershi[)  of  Stairs,  and 
on  their  return  recrossed  the  [X'ople  to  the  south  l>aid<. 

On  the  mornino'  of  the  (ith  of  (><'tol»er  our  state  and 
mimhers  were  l'7  I  in  nundter.  iixdudinii'  white  and 
Itlack,  Since  then  two  had  died  of  dysentery,  one 
from  dehility,  four  had  deserted,  uJid  one  man  was 
handed.  We  had  therefore  'HV,\  men  left.  Out  oi 
this  nmnher  fifty-two  had  heen  reduced  to  skeletons, 
wiio  first,  attacked  by  ulcers,  had  heen  unahle  to 
forage,  and  tu  wlumi  through  their  want  of  econo- 
mizing' what  rations  had  ))een  distributed,  had  not 
sufficient  to  maintain  them  durino-  the  davs  that 
nitervened  of  total  want.  These  losses  in  men  left 
me  21 1  still  able  to  march,  and  as  amcmg  these  there 
were  forty  men  non-earriers,  and  as  I  had  227  loads,  it 
foHowed  that  when  1  needed  carriaue,  I  had  about 
eighty  loads  more  than  could  be  earried.  (*a2)taiii 
Nelson  for  the  last  two  weeks  had  also  suffered  from  a 
dozen  small  ulcers,  which  had  gradually  increased  in 
virulence.  On  this  dav  then,  when  the  wild  state  of  the 
river  (juite  prohibited  further  progress  by  it,  he  and 
fifty -two  men  were  utterly  unfit  and  incapal)le  of 
travel. 

It  was  a  difficult  problem  that  now  faeed  us. 
Captain  Nelson  was  our  comrade,  whom  to  save  we 
were  bound  to  exert  our  best  foree.  To  the  fifty-two 
bhu'k  men  we  were  equally  bound  by  the  most  solenm 
obligations  ;  and  dark  as  was  the  prospeet  around  us,  we 
were  not  so  far  reduced  but  that  we  entertained  a  lively 
hope  that  we  could  save  them.  As  the  JVIanyuema  had 
reported  that  their  settlement  was  only  five  days' 
journev,  and  we  had  alreadv  travelled  two  davs'  mareh, 
then  probably  the  village  or  station  was  still  three  days 
ahead  of  us.  It  was  suggested  by  Captain  Nelson  that 
if  we  despatched  intelligent  couriers  ahead,  they  would 
be   enabled  to    reach  Kilonga-Longa's   settlement  long 


I  4  - 


it  tllo 

(»U«llv 

W    the 

S,    illl'l 

milk. 
:e  and 

C     illltl 

^,  one 
n  was 
)ut  oi 
Ictons, 
hie  to 
eeoiio- 
id  not 
^  that 
ni  leil 
3  there 
nuls,  it 

about 
^uptain 
fVom  a 
sed  in 
■  of  til e 
le  and 

)le    of 

;1  us. 
ive  we 
tv-two 
solemn 

us,  we 

lively 

ma  had 

days' 

mareli, 

e  davs 
m  that 

would 
it  long 


A    (I LOOM)-    ('AMI'. 


221 


l)efore  the  cohinin.  As  this  su_u'L;estion  admitted  of 
no  contradiction,  and  as  ilic  ln'ad  men  were  iiatui'ally 
the  most  capahh' and  intenim'iit.  the  chief  of  tlic  licad 
men  and  five  others  were  hastened  off,  and  instructecl  at 
once  to  proceed  alon,u'  the  south  l»ank  of  the  river  until 
they  discovered  some  landiiiLi,'  place,  whence  tliev  must 
find  means  to  cross  the  Ituri  an<l  find  the  settlement, 
and  obtain  an  immediate  store  of  fo(td. 

13efore  startino'  otHcers  and  men  demanded  to  know 
from  me  whether  1  believed  the  stoiy  of  Arai)s  bein^ 
ahead.  I  re[)lied  that  1  belie\ed  most  thoroughly,  but 
that  it  was  [)ossible  that  the  Manyuema  had  under- 
estimated the  distance  to  uratifv  or  encourage  us  and 
abate  our  anxiety. 

After  infoi'miuii'  the  unfortunate  crip))Ies  of  our  in- 
tention to  proceed  forward  until  we  could  tind  food  that 
we  miiiht  not  all  be  lost,  i'lid  send  relief  as  (|uickly  as 
it  colli'  be  obtained,  I  coiisioned  the  fifty-two  men, 
ei«ihty-one  loads,  and  ten  canoes  in  charge  of  (*aptain 
Nelson-  bade  him  be  of  oood  cheer,  and  lioistin*"'  our 
loads  and  boat  on  our  shoulders,  we  marched  away. 

No  more  ^htoniy  spot  could  have  been  sele<'ted  for  a 
caiiij)  than  that  saiuly  terrace,  encomjiassed  by  rocks 
and  hemmed  in  narrowly  by  those  dark  woods,  which 
lose  from  the  river's  edi>e  to  the  height  of  (iOO  feet, 
and  pent  in  the  never-ceasiiiii'  uproar  created  by  the 
writhing  and  tortured  stream  and  the  twin  cataracts, 
that  ever  rivalled  each  other's  thunder.  The  imagina- 
tion shudders  at  the  hapless  position  of  those  crip[)]ed 
men,  who  were  <loomed  to  remain  inactive,  to  listen  every 
moment  to  the  awful  sound  of  that  irreconcilable  fury  of 
wrathful  waters,  and  the  monotonous  and  continuous 
roar  of  plunging  rivers,  to  watch  the  leaping  waves, 
coiling  and  twistinii'  into  chanoing  columns  as  thev  ever 
wrestled  for  masterv  with  each  other,  and  were  dashed 
in  white  fragments  of  foam  far  apart  by  the  ceaseless 
force  of  driven  currents;  to  gaze  at  the  dark,  relentless 
woods  spreading  upward  and  around,  standing  per- 
petually fixed  in  dull  green,  mourning  over  past  ages, 
past  times,    and   past   generati(jns ;    then  think  of  the 


\XX~i. 

Oct.  tl. 

St;iiviitiiii\ 

('ain|i. 


fl 

iK 

Pr 

w 

I   ,1 


222 


IN  DxiRKES T  A FRICA. 


1887. 
Oct.  6. 

\son;i 
Mamba. 


I      i; 


'lllf: 


I!  % 


m  i 


ni,i»ht,  with  its  palpal jle  blackness,  the  dead  black 
shadows  of  the  wooded  hills,  that  eternal  sound  of 
furv,  that  ceaseless  boom  of  the  cataracts,  the  indefinite 
forms  ])()rn  of  nervousness  and  fearfulness,  that  misery 
engendered  l)y  loneliness  and  creeping  sense  of  al^andon- 
meni ;  then  will  be  understood  something  of  the  true 
position  of  these  poor  men. 

And  what  of  us  trudging  up  these  wooded  slopes  to 
gain  the  crest  of  the  forc^-t  uplands,  to  tramp  on  and  on, 
whither  we  knew  not,  for  how  long  a  time  we  dared  not 
think,  seeking  for  food  with  the  doul>le  responsibility 
weighing  us  down  for  these  trustful,  brave  fellows 
Miih  us,  and  for  those,  no  less  brave  and  trustful, 
whom  we  had  left  behind  at  the  bottom  of  the  horrible 
canon  I 

As  1  looked  at  the  p(jor  men  struggling  wearily  on- 
ward it  appeared  to  me  as  though  a  few  houi's  only  were 
needed  to  ensure  our  fate.  One  day,  perhaps  two  days, 
and  then  life  would  ebb  away.  How  their  eyes  searched 
the  wild  woods  for  the  red  berries  of  the  phrynia,  and 
the  tartish,  crimson,  and  oblong  fruit  of  the  amoma  ! 
How  they  rushed  for  the  Hat  beans  of  the  forest,  and 
o-loated  over  their  treasures  of  funo;i !  In  short,  nothino- 
was  rejected  in  this  severe  distress  to  which  we  were 
reduced  except  leaves  and  wood.  We  pas  ^d  several 
abandoned  clearings  ;  and  some  men  chopped  down  pieces 
of  l)anana  stalk,  then  searched  for  wild  herbs  to  make 
potage,  the  bastard  jack  fruit,  or  the  fene.'^si,  and  otlier 
Irioe  fruit  became  dear  ol)iects  of  interest  as  we  straool^d 

on. 

"  Return  \vc  conld  not,  nor 
Continue  wlicre  we  were  ;  to  shift  our  ])lnce 
Was  to  exchange  one  misery  witli  anotlicr. 
And  every  day  that  came,  came  to  decay 
A  day's  work  in  us." 

On  the  7th  of  October  we  began  at  6.30  a.m.  to 
commence  that  funereal  pace  through  the  trackless  region 
on  the  crest  of  the  forest  u])lands.  We  picked  up  fungi, 
and  the  utafoih/a  wild  fruit,  as  we  travelled,  and  aftei* 
seven  hours'  march  we  rested  for  the  day.  At  1 1  a.m. 
we  had  halted  for  lunch  at  the  usual  hour.     Each  otticer 


RANDY      AND    THE   G TINEA    FOWL. 


223 


had  economised  his  rations  of  bananas.  Two  were 
the  utmost  that  I  couhl  spare  for  myself.  My  comrades 
were  also  as  rigidly  strict  and  close  in  their  diet,  and  a 
cup  of  sugarless  tea  closed  the  repast.  We  were  sitting 
conversing  about  oar  prospects,  discussing  the  pro])a- 
bilities  of  our  couriers  reaching  some  settlement  on  this 
day,  or  the  next,  and  the  time  that  it  would  take  them 
to  return,  and  they  desired  to  know  whether  in  my 
previous  African  experiences  I  had  encountered  anything 
so  grievous  as  this. 

"  No  ;  not  ({uite  so  bad  as  this,"  I  replied.  "  We  have 
suffered  ;  l)ut  not  to  such  an  extremity.  Those  nine 
days  on  the  way  into  Ituru  were  wretched  On  our 
tlioht  from  Bumbire'  we  certainlv  suti'ered  much  hun<>er, 
and  also  while  floating  down  the  Congo  to  trace  its 
course  our  condition  was  much  to  l)e  pitied  ;  l)ut  we  had 
a  little  of  something,  and  at  least  hirge  hope.  The  age 
of  miracles  is  past,  it  is  said,  but  why  should  they  ])e  ? 
Moses  drew  water  from  the  rock  at  Horcb  for  the 
thirsty  Israelites.  Of  water  we  have  enough  and  to 
spare.  Elijah  was  fed  by  ravens  at  the  brook  Oherith, 
l>ut  there  is  not  a  raven  in  all  this  forest.  Christ  was 
ministered  unto  ])y  angels.  1  wonder  if  any  one  will 
minister  unto  us  ?  " 

Just  then  there  was  a  sound  as  of  a  large  ])ird 
whirring  through  the  air.  Little  Randy,  my  fox-terrier, 
lifted  up  a  foot  and  gazed  incjuiringly  ;  we  turned  our 
heads  t(j  see,  and  that  second  the  bird  dro})ped  beneath 
the  jaws  of  Randy,  who  snapped  at  the  prize  and  held  it 
fast,  in  a  vice  as  of  iron. 

"  There,  boys,"  I  said,  "  truly  the  gods  are  gracious. 
The  age  of  miracles  is  not  past,"  and  my  comrades  were 
;seen  gazing  in  delightc<l  surpi'ise  at  the  Inrd,  whicli  was 
a  fine  fat  ouinea  fowl.  It  was  not  lon<>-  before  the 
guinea  fowl  was  divided,  and  Handy,  its  captor,  had  his 
lawful  share,  rnd  the  little  doyyie  seemed  to  know  that 
he  had  grown  in  esteem  with  all  men,  and  we  enjoyed 
our  prize  each  with  his  own  feelings. 

On  the  next  day,  in  order  to  relieve  the  boat- 
l)earers  of  their  hard  work,  Mr.  Jephson  was  recjuested 


1887. 
Oct.  7. 

Forest 


224 


IN  DARKEST  AFIUCA. 


' 


5-1 
U 
it 


18S7. 
Oct.  7. 

Forest. 


to  (M)iiiiect  the  sectioii.s  toiietlier,  and  two  hours  after 
starting  on  the  march  came  op])().'^ite  an  inha])ite(l  i.shind. 
The  advance  scouts  seized  a  canoe  and  l)ore  sti'aii»ht  on 
to  the  ishmd,  to  snatch  in  the  same  unruly  manner  us 
Orhindo,  meat  for  the  hungry. 

"  Wliat  woukl  you,  unruly  men  ?  " 

"  We  would  luive  meat  I  Two  hundred  staowr  in 
these  woods  and  reel  with  faintness." 

The  natives  did  not  stand  for  further  question,  hut 


liAXDY    SKIZKS    TIIK    (lUI.NEA    FOWL. 


vanislicd  kindly,  and  left  their  treasures  of  food.  We 
received  as  our  share  two  pounds  of  Intlian  corn  and 
half-a-[)ound  of  heans.  Altogether  al)out  twenty-tive 
pounds  (»f  corn  were  discovered,  which  was  distrihuted 
among  the  })eo[)h\ 

in  the  afternoon  I  received  a  note  fnmi  Mr.  Jephson, 
who  was  behind  with  the  hoat  :  "  For  (iod's  sake,  if  you 
can  get  any  food  at  the  village  send  us  some." 

We  despatched  answer  to  .le[)hson  to  hunt  up  the 
wounded  ele|)hant  that  I  had  shot,  and  which  had  taken 


V      Mi 


l)Ut 


'itt* 


■•s 


J-^ 


AVc 

n  aiitl 
Ity-tive 
lilmttnl 

iplison 
if  you 

[ip  the 
taken 


Wi:  SEND   MEN   TO   SEARCH   FOR   FOOD. 


225 


refuge  on  an  island  near  him,  and  in  reply  to  his  anxious 
letter,  a  small  liandful  of  corn. 

On   the   9th  of  October  100   men  v(^lunteered   to  fjo 
across  river  and    explore  inland  from  the  nortli   bank 
with  a  resolute  intention  not  to  return  without  food  of 
some  kind.     I  went  up  river  with  the  boat's  crew,  and 
Stairs  down  river   to  strike  inland  by  a  little  track   in 
the  hope  that  it  might  lead  to  some  village  ;  those  who 
were    too    dispiiited    to    go    far    wandei'ed    southward 
through   the  woods  to  search  for  wild  fruit  and   forest 
beans.     This  last  article  was  about  four  times  the  size 
of  a  large  garden  bean,  encased  in  a  brown  leathery  rind. 
At    first    we     had    contented    ourselves    with     merely 
skinning  it  and  boiling  it,  but  this  produced  sickness  of 
the  stomach.     An  old  woman  captured  on   the  island 
was  seen  to  prepare  a  dish  of  these  l)eans  by  skinning 
them  and  rfterwards  cleaning  the  inner  covering,  and 
finally   scraping   them  as  we  would  nutmegs.      Out   of 
this    Houry   substance    she  made  some    patties  for  her 
c  iptor,  who  shouted  in  ecstasies  that   they  were  good. 
Whereupon   everybody  bestirred   themselves   to  collect 
the  beans,  which  were  fairly  plentiful.     Tempted   by  a 
'■  lady  finger"  cake  of  this  article  that  was  brought  to 
nie.  I  ventured  to  try  it,  and  found  it  sufficiently  filling, 
and  about  as  palatable  as  a  mess  of  acorns.      Indeed,  the 
iiaxour  stronglv  reminded  me  of  the  acorn.     The  fungi 
were  of  several  varieties,  some  })ure  and  })erfect  nnisli- 
rooms,  others  were  of  a  less  harmless  kind;  but  surely 
the  gods  protected    the    miserable    human   beings  con- 
demned to  live  on  such  things.    ({rul)s  were  collected,  also 
slugs  from  the  trees,  cater})illars,  and  white  ants — these 
served   for  meat.     The  iii((/h'11(/n.  (nux  vomica)  furnished 
the  dessert,  with  j'tin'ssi  or  a  species  of  bastard  jack 
fruit. 

The  following  day  .--ome  of  the  foragers  from  across 
the  river  returned  bringing  nothing.  They  had  dis- 
covered such  emptiness  on  the  north  bank  as  we  had 
found  on  the  south  bank  ;  but  "  inshallah  !  "  thev  said, 
■■  we  shall  find  food  either  to-morrow  or  the  next 
<lay." 

VOL.  I.  V 


4  ' 

t 

t 

1887. 
Oct.  9. 

Forest. 


!     ! 


226 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


i'  I 


li 


!  \ 


1887. 
Oct.  10. 

Forest. 


;.  I 


In  the  morning  I  had  eaten  my  hist  grain  of  Indian 
corn,  and  my  hist  portion  of  everything  solid  that  was 
obtainable,  and  at  noon  the  horrid  pains  of  the 
stomach  had  to  be  satisfied  with  something.  Some 
potato  leaves  l)rought  me  ])y  Wadi  Kliamis,  a  headman, 
were  bruised  fine  and  cooked.  They  were  not  bad, 
still  the  stomach  ached  from  utter  depletion.  Then  a 
Zanzibari,  with  his  face  aglow  w'th  honest  pride,  brought 
me  a  dozen  fruit  of  the  size  {;r-;l  colour  of  prize  pear, 
which  emitted  a  most  pleasant  fruity  odour.  He 
warranted  them  to  be  lovely,  and  declared  that  the  men 
enjoyed  them,  but  the  finest  had  been  picked  out  for 
myself  and  officers.  He  had  also  brought  a  pattie  made 
out  of  the  wood-bean  flour  which  had  a.  rich  custardy 
look  about  it.  With  many  thanks  I  accepted  this  novel 
repast,  and  I  felt  a  grateful  sense  of  fulness.  In  an 
hour,  however,  a  nausea  attacked  me,  and  I  was  forced 
to  seek  my  bed.  The  temples  presently  felt  as  if  con- 
stricted by  an  iron  band,  the  eyes  blinked  strangely, 
and  a  magnifying  glass  did  not  enable  me  to  read 
the  figures  of  Norie's  Epitome.  My  servant,  with  the 
rashness  of  youth,  had  lunched  bravely  on  what  I  had 
shared  with  him  of  the  sweetly-smelling  pear-like  fruit, 
and  conse(|uently  suffered  more  severely.  Had  he  been 
in  a  little  cockle  boat  on  a  mad  channel  sea  he  could 
scarcely  have  presented  a  more  flabby  and  disordered 
aspect  than  had  l)een  caused  by  the  forest  pears. 

Just  at  sunset  the  foragers  of  No.  I  Company,  after 
an  absence  of  thirty-six  hours,  appeared  from  the 
N.  l)ank,  bringing  sufficient  plantains  to  save  the 
Europeans  from  despair  and  starvation  ;  but  the  men 
received  only  two  plantains  each,  e<|ual  to  four  ounces 
of  solid  stuff*,  to  put  into  stomachs  that  would  have 
required  eight  pounds  to  satisfy. 

The  officers  Stairs,  Jephson,  and  Parke,  had  been 
amusing  themselves  the  entire  afternoon  in  drawing 
fanciful  menus,  where  such  things  figured  as  : — 


ti  \ 


Filot  de  boeuf  en  Cliartreuse. 

Pctitcs  l)oucli(''Cs  aux  liuitres  de  Ostende. 

Bocassines  roties  a  la  Londres. 


\    Wit 


I    I 


after 
the 
the 

men 
ouiiees. 

have 

})eeii 
:a\viiig 


Vi 


FANCIFUL   MENUS    OF   THE   OFFICERS. 


227 


Another  had  shown  his  Anglo-Saxon  proclivities  for     i887. 
solids  such  as  : —  ^^-  ^^• 

Furt'St. 

Hain  and  eggs  and  jilcnty  of  them, 
Iloast  beef  and  potatoes  unlimited, 
A  weighty  plum  pudding. 

There  were  two  of  the  foragers  missing,  but  we  could 
not  wait  for  them.  We  moved  from  this  starvation 
camp  to  one  higher  up,  a  distance  of  eleven  miles. 

A  man  of  No.  '^  Company  dropped  his  box  of 
ammunition  into  a  deep  affluent  and  lost  it.  Kajeli 
stole  a  box  of  Winchester  ammunition  and  absconuod. 
Salim  stole  a  ease  containing  Emin  Pasha's  ^icw  boots 
and  two  pairs  of  mine,  and  deserted.  Wadi  Adam 
vanished  with  Suigeon  Parke's  entire  kit.  Swadi,  of 
No.  1  C*onipany,  left  his  box  on  the  road,  and  departed 
himself  to  parts  unknown.  Bull-necked  Uchungu 
folhnved  suit  with  a  b(ix  of  Reminoton  cartrido^es. 

On  the  12th  of  Octo])er  we  marched  four-and-a-half 
miles,  E.  by  S.  The  boat  and  crew  were  far  ])elow, 
struggling  in  rapids.  We  wished  now  to  cross  the 
river  to  try  our  fortune  on  the  N.  bank.  We  searched 
for  a  canoe,  and  saw  one  on  the  other  side,  ])ut  the 
river  was  400  yards  wide,  and  the  current  was  too 
strong  against  the  best  swinmiers  in  their  present  state. 
ofdel)ilitv. 

Some  scouts  presently  discovered  a  canoe  fastened  to 
an  island  onlv  fortv  vards  from  the  south  bank,  which 
was  situate  a  little  above  our  halting  place.  Three  nien 
volunteered,  among  wliom  was  Wadi  Asman,  of  the 
Pioneers,  a  grave  man,  faithful,  and  of  much  experience 
in  manv  African  lands.  Twentv  dollars  reward  was  to 
be  the  prize  of  success.  Asman  lacked  the  audacity 
of  Uledi,  the  coxswain  of  the  "advance,"  as  well  as  his 
})old  high  spirit,  but  was  a  most  prudent  and  \aluablc 
man. 

These  three  men  cliose  a  small  rapid  for  their  venture, 
that  they  might  obtain  a  footing  now  and  then  on  the; 
rocks.  At  dusk  two  of  them  returned  to  grieve  us  witli 
the   news   that   Asman    had    tried    to   swim    with     his 


t'! 


1 


1887. 
Oct.  12. 

forest. 


¥ 


It '  i 


lilHR  V  f ' 


228 


IN  DABKEST  AFRICA. 


Winchester  on   his  ])ack,  and    had  been  swept  by  the 
strong  current  into  a  wliirlpool,  and  was  drowned. 

We  were  unfortunate  in  every  respect ;  our  chiefs  had 
not  yet  returned,  we  were  fearing  for  their  fate,  strong 
men  deserted.  Our  rifles  were  rapidly  decreasing  in 
number.  Our  ammunition  was  being  stolen.  Feruzi. 
the  next  best  man  to  Uledi  as  a  sailor,  soldier,  carrier, 
good  man  and  true,  was  dying  from  a  wound  inflicted 
on  the  head  by  a  savage's  knife. 

The  followino-  dav  was  also  a  halt.  We  were  about 
to  cross  the  river,  and  we  were  anxious  for  our  six 
chiefs,  one  of  whom  was  Rasliid  bin  Omar,  the  "  father  of 
the  people,"  as  he  was  called.  Equipped  with  only  their 
rifles,  accoutrements  and  sutHcient  ammunition,  such 
men  ought  to  have  travelled  in  the  week  that  had 
elapsed  since  our  departure  from  Nelson's  camp  over  a 
hundred  miles.  If  they,  during  that  distance,  could  not 
discover  the  Manyuema  settlement,  what  chance  had 
we,  burdened  with  loads,  with  a  caravan  of  hungry  and 
despairing  men,  who  for  a  week  had  fed  on  nothing  but 
two  plantains,  berries,  wild  fruit,  and  fungi  ?  Our  men 
had  begun  to  ..jfl'er  dearly  during  this  protracted 
starvation.     Three  had  died  the  day  before. 

Towards  evening  Jephson  appeared  with  the  boat, 
and  brought  a  supply  of  Indian  corn,  which  sutticed  to 
give  twelve  cupfuls  to  each  white.  It  was  a  reprieve 
from  death  for  the  Europeans. 

The  next  day,  the  15th,  having  blazed  trees  around 
the  camp,  and  drawn  broad  arrows  with  charcoal  for 
the  guidance  of  the  head  men  when  they  should  return, 
the  Expedition  crossed  over  to  the  north  })ank  and  camped 
on  the  upper  side  of  a  range  of  hills.  Feruzi  Ali  died  of 
his  wound  soon  after. 

Our  men  were  in  such  a  desperately  weak  state,  that  I 
had  not  the  heart  to  (command  the  l^oat  to  be  disconnected 
for  transport,  as  had  f^  world's  treasure  been  spread  out 
before  them,  they  could  not  have  exhibited  greatei' 
power  than  they  were  willing  to  g've  at  a  word.  I 
stated  the  case  fairlv  to  them  thus  : — 

"  You  see,   my  men,   our  condition  in  brief  is  this. 


•    ;| 


« 


ADVICE  FROM   THE  FAITHFUL    ULEDI. 


229 


ound 
.1  for 
!turii, 
mped 
ied  of 


this. 


We  started  from  Yam1)uya  389  in  numl)er  and  took 
2:17  loads  with  us.  We  had  80  extra  carriers  to  provide 
for  those  who  ))y  rlie  way  might  l)C('onie  weak  and 
aiUng.  We  left  5()  men  at  Ugari'owwa's  Settlement, 
and  52  with  Captain  Nelson.  We  should  have  271  left, 
hut  instead  of  that  number  we  have  only  200  to-day, 
including  the  chiefs  who  are  ahsent.  Seventy-one  have 
either  died,  been  killed,  or  deserted.  But  there  are  only 
150  of  you  fit  to  carry  anything,  and  therefore  we  cannot 
carry  this  boat  any  further.  1  say,  let  us  sink  her  here 
by  the  riverside,  and  let  us  press  on  to  get  food  for 
ourselves  and  those  with  Captain  Nelson,  who  are 
wondering  what  has  become  of  us,  before  we  all  die  in 
these  woods.  You  are  the  carriers  of  the  boat — not  we, 
Do  you  speak,  what  shall  be  done  unto  her?" 

Many  sut>oestions  were  made  bv  the  officers  and  men, 
but  Uledi  of  'Through  the  Dark  Continent,'  always 
Uledi — the  ever  faitliful  Uledi,  spoke  straight  to  the 
purpose.  '  Sir,  my  advice  is  this.  You  go  on  with  the 
caravan  and  search  for  the  Manyuema,  and  1  and  my 
crew  will  work  at  these  rajiitls,  and  pole,  row,  or  drag 
her  on  as  w^e  can.  After  I  have  gone  two  days  up,  if  I 
do  not  see  signs  of  the  JManyuema  ]  will  send  men  after 
you  to  keep  touch  with  you.  We  cannot  lose  you,  for  a 
blind  man  couhl  follow  such  a  track  as  the  caravan 
makes." 

This  suggestion  w^as  agreed  by  all  to  be  the  best,  and 
it  was  arranged  that  our  rule  of  conduct  should  be  as 
Uledi  sketched  out. 

We  separated  at  10  a.m.,  and  in  a  short  time  I  had 
my  first  experience  among  the  loftier  hills  of  the 
Aruwimi  valley.  1  led  the  caravan  northward  through 
the  trackless  forest,  sheering  a  little  to  the  north  east  to 
gain  a  spur,  and  ushig  animal  tracks  when  they  served 
us.  Progress  was  very  slow,  the  undergrowth  was 
dense  ;  berries  of  the  phrynium  and  fruit  of  the  Amomum 
ft'nes.sl  and  nux  vomica,  besides  the  huge  wood  beans 
and  fungi  of  all  soits,  were  numerous,  and  each  man 
gathered  a  plentiful  harvest.  Unaccust(»nied  to  hills  for 
years,  our  hearts  palpitated  violently  as  we  breasted  the 


1887. 
Oct.  15 

Forest. 


!    I- 


lifi^'l 


n 
U  \ 


230 


7.V  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


1887. 
Oct.  1."). 

Forest. 


n 


'  i 


#r  -I 


stee])-\voo(le(l  slopes,   and  cut   and   slaslied    at  tlie    ob- 
struc-tin^i^'  ci-eepers,  Imsli  and  plants. 

All,  it  was  a  sad  ni^lit,  unutteraldy  sad,  to  see  so  many 
men  strungling  on  l)lindly  through  that  endless  forest, 
follovvinii"  (me  white  man  who  was  bound  whither  n(me 
knew,  whom  most  believed  did  not  know  himself.  They 
were  in  a  veritable  hell  of  hunger  already  !  What 
nameless  hon-ors  awaited  them  further  on  none  could 
conjecture  ?  l>ut  wliat  matter,  death  comes  to  every 
man  soon  or  late  !  Therefore  we  vu^'*^''^  ^^  ^ii<^  <>i^ 
broke  thiough  the  bush,  trampled  down  the  plants, 
wound  along  the  crest  of  spurs  zigzagging  from 
■north-east  to  north-west,  and  descending  to  a  bowl- 
like valley  by  a  clear  stream,  lunched  on  our  corn  and 
berries. 

Durinu:  our  mid-dav  halt,  one  Umari  havinsj:  seen 
some  magnificent  and  ripe  feiiessi  at  the  top  of  a  tree 
thirty  feet  high,  essayed  to  climb  it,  but  on  gaining  that 
height,  a  Immch  or  his  strength  yielded  and  he  tumlded 
headlong  upon  the  heads  of  two  other  men  wIkj  were 
waitin<>-  to  seize  the  fruit.  Strange  to  sav,  none  of 
them  were  very  seriously  injured.  LImari  was  a  little 
lame  in  the  hip  and  one  of  those  up<m  whom  he  fell 
complained  of  a  pain  in  the  chest. 

At  3A\0  after  a  terrible  struggle  through  a  suffocating 
wilderness  of  arums,  amonia,  and  bush,  we  came  to  a 
dark  amphitheatral  glen  and  at  the  bottom  found  a 
camp  just  deserted  l)y  the  natives,  and  in  such  hot  haste 
tliat  thev  had  thous>ht  it  best  not  t(j  burden  themselves 
with  their  treasures.  Surelv  some  divinitv  provided  for 
us  always  in  the  most  stressful  hours.  Two  l)ushels  of 
Indian  corn,  and  a  Ijushel  of  beans  awaited  us  in  this 
camp. 

My  poor  donkey  from  Zanzibar  showed  symptoms 
of  surrender.  Arums  and  amoma  every  day  since 
June  28th  were  no  fit  food  for  a  (hiinty  Zanzibar  ass, 
therefore  to  end  his  misery  I  shot  him.  The  meat  was 
as  carefully  shared  as  though  it  were  the  finest  veiuson, 
foi'  a  wild  and  famished  mob  threatened  to  defy  dis- 
cipline.     When  the  meat  was  fairly  served  a  free  fight 


MY   DONKEY   IS  SHOT  FOB   FOOD. 


231 


fell 


to  a 
liiil  a 
haste 
;eive.s 
k1  for 
lels  of 
this 

|)toms 

since 

ass, 

It  was 

[lisou, 

V  dis- 

fight 


took  phice  over  the  skin,  the  l)()nes  were  taken  up  and 
crushed,  the  hoofs  were  boiled  for  hours,  there  was 
nothing  left  of  my  faithful  animal  l)ut  the  spilled  blood 
and  hair  ;  a  pack  of  hyaenas  could  not  have  made  a  more 
thorough  disposal  of  it.  That  constituent  of  the  human 
being  which  marks  him  as  superior  to  all  others  of  the 
animal  creation  was  so  deadened  by  hunger  that  our  men 
had  become  merely  carnivorous  bipeds,  inclined  to  be  as 
ferocious  as  any  beast  of  })rey. 

On  the  Ifith  we  crossed  through  four  deep  gorges 
i»ne  after  another,  through  wonderful  growths  of  phrynia. 
The  trees  frecjuently  ])ore  feiu'ssi  nearly  ripe,  one  foot 
lono'  and  eio'ht  inches  in  diameter.  Some  of  this  fruit 
was  e({ual  to  pineapple,  it  was  certainly  \\  Uolesome. 
Even  the  rotten  fruit  was  not  rejected.  When  tlie 
fi'm'sKi  were  absent,  the  wood-bean  tree  flourished  and 
kindly  sprinkled  the  ground  with  its  fruit.  Nature 
seemed  to  c(Hifess  chat  the  wanderers  had  borne  enoui»h 
of  pain  and  grief.  The  deepest  solitudes  showed 
increasing  tenderness  for  the  weary  and  long-suffering. 
Ihe  phrynia  gave  us  their  brightest  red  berries,  the 
amoma  furnished  us  with  the  finest  and  ripest  scarlet  fruit, 
t\\Q  foh'ssl  were  in  a  state  of  perfection,  tlie  wo<Kl-})eans 
were  larger  and  fatter,  the  streams  of  the  wood  glens 
were  clear  and  cold  ;  no  enemv  was  in  siiiht,  nothino'  was 
to  be  feared  but  huni>er,  and  nature  did  its  best  with 
her  unknown  treasures,  shaded  us  with  her  fi-agrant  and 
loving  shades,  and  whispered  to  us  unspeakable  things 
sweetly  and  tenderly. 

During  the  mid-day  halt  the  men  discussed  our  pro- 
spects. They  said,  with  solemn  shaking  of  their  heads, 
"  Know  you  that  such  and  such  a  man  is  dead  ?  that  the 
other  is  lost  I  another  will  probably  fall  this  afternoon  ! 
the  rest  will  })erish  to-morrow  !  "  The  trumpet  sum- 
moned all  to  their  feet,  to  march  on,  and  strive,  and 
press  forward  to  the  goal.' 

JIalf-an-hour  later  the  pioneers  broke  through  a 
growth  of  amoma,  and  stepped  on  a  road.  And  lo  ! 
on  every  tree  we  saw  the  peculiar  "'blaze"  of  tiie 
Manyuema,  a  discovery  that  was  transmitted  by  every 


1887. 
Oct.  15. 

Forest. 


!§*!i|il- 


232 


y.V  DAIiKEtiT  AFRICA. 


1887. 
Oct.  16. 

Forest. 


m 


f 

V  '■ 


!»r 


voice  IVoin  tlie  lioad   to  the  rear  of  the  column,  and  was 
received  with  jubilant  cheei's. 

"  Which  way,  sir  V  asked  the  delighted  pioneers. 

"  Right  turn  of  course,"  1  replied,  feeling  far  more 
glad  than  any,  and  fuller  of  longings  for  the  settlement 
that  was  to  end  this  terrible  period,  and  shorten  the 
misery  of  Nelson  and  his  dark  foUowers. 

"  Please  God,"  thev  said,  "  to-morrow  or  the  next  dav 
we  shall  have  food,"  which  meant  that  after  suffering 
unappeasable  hunger  for  'M^C)  hours,  they  could  patiently 
wait  if  it  pleased  God  another  thirty-six  or  sixty  hours 
more. 

We  were  all  friiihtfullv  thin,  the  whites  not  so  much 
reduced  as  our  coloured  men.  We  thought  of  the 
future  and  abounded  with  hope,  though  deep  depression 
foHowod  any  inspection  of  the  people.  We  regretted 
tliat  our  followers  did  not  ha^e  greater  faith  in  us. 
Hunger  followed  })y  despair  killed  many.  Many  freely 
expressed  their  thoughts  and  declared  to  one  another 
plainly  that  we  knew  not  whither  we  were  marching.  And 
thev  were  not  far  wrono-,  for  wdio  knew  what  a  dav 
might  bring  forth  in  unexplored  depths  of  woods.  But 
as  they  said,  it  was  their  fate  to  follow  us,  and  therefore 
they  followed  fate.  They  had  ftired  badly  and  had 
suffered  great! v.  It  is  hard  to  walk  at  all  when  weak- 
ness  sets  in  through  emptiness  ;  it  is  still  worse  to  do 
so  when  burdened  with  sixty  pounds  weight.  Over 
fifty  were  yet  in  fair  condition  ;  150  were  skeletons 
covered  wdtli  ashy  grey  skins,  jaded  and  worn  out,  with 
every  sign  of  wretchedness  printed  deep  in  their  eyes, 
in  their  bodies  and  movements.  These  could  hardly 
do  more  than  creep  on  and  moan,  and  shed  tears  and 
sigh,  j\Iy  only  dog  "  Randy,"  alas  !  how  feeble  he  had 
become  !  Meat  he  had  not  tasted — except  with  me  of 
the  ass's  meat — for  weeks.  Parched  corn  and  beans 
were  not  fit  for  a  terrier,  and  fencs.si  and  mabcuf/u,  and 
such  other  acid  fruit  he  disdained,  and  so  he  declined, 
until  he  became  as  gaunt  as  the  pariah  of  a  Moslem. 
Stairs  had  ne\'er  failed  me.  Jephson  every  now  and 
then  had  l)een  fortunate  in  discoveries  of  grain  treasures, 


efore 

had 
weak- 
to  do 
Over 
etons 
with 
eyes, 
iirdly 

and 
e  had 
lie  f)f 
beans 

and 
lined, 
)slem. 

and 
sures, 


I 


WE  STRIKE    THE   TRACK   OF   THE   MANYUEMA.      :im 

and  always  showed  an  indomitable  front,  and  Parke  was 
ever  strivintj;,  patient,  clieerful  and  gentle.  Deep,  deep 
down  to  undiscovered  (le[)ths  our  Hte  in  the  forest  had 
enabled  me  to  penetrate  human  natuie  with  all  its 
endurance  and  virtues. 

Alono'  the  track  of  the  Manyuenia  it  was  easy  to  travel. 
Sometimes  we  came  to  a  maze  of  roads  ;  but  once  the 
general  direction  was  found,  there  was  no  dithculty  to 
point  to  the  right  one.  It  appeared  to  be  well  travelled, 
and  it  was  clearer  every  mile  that  we  were  appioaching 
a  populous  settlement.  As  recent  tracks  became  moi'e 
numerous,  the  bush  seemed  more  broken  into,  with  many 
a  halt  and  manv  wavward  stra vinos.  Here  and  there 
trees  had  been  lopped  of  their  branches.  (  ording  vines 
lay  frequently  on  the  track  ;  pads  for  native  cairiers 
had  often  been  dropped  in  haste.  Most  of  the  morning 
was  exjiended  in  crossing  a  score  of  lazy,  oozy  rillets, 
which  caused  large  breadths  of  slime-covere(1  Avamp. 
Wasps  attacked  the  colum]i  at  one  crossing,  and  stujig  a 
man  into  high  fever,  and  being  in  such  an  emaciated 
condition  there  was  little  chance  of  his  recovery.  After  a 
march  of  seven  miles  south-east wardly  we  halted  on  the 
afternoon  of  the  1 7tli. 

The  night  was  ushered  by  a  tempest  which  thi'eatened 
to  uproot  the  forest  and  bear  it  to  the  distant  west, 
accompanied  by  floods  of  rain,  and  a  severe  cold 
temperature.  Nevertheless,  fear  of  famishing  drove  us 
to  beo-in  the  march  at  an  eai'lv  hour  on  the  following' 
day.  In  aJKUit  an  hour  and-a-half  we  stood  on  the 
confines  of  a  large  clearing,  but  the  fog  was  so  dense 
that  we  could  discern  nothing  further  than  200  feet  in 
front.  Resting  awhile  to  debate  upon  our  course,  we 
heard  a  sonorous  voice  singing  in  a  language  none  of 
us  knew,  and  a  lusty  hail  and  an  argument  with  what 
appeared  to  be  some  humour.  As  this  was  not  a  hmd 
where  al)ori<iines  would  dare  to  })e  so  lioht-hearted  and 
frivolous,  this  singing  we  believed  could  proceed  from 
no  other  people  than  those  who  knew  they  had  nothing 
to  fear.  I  tired  a  Winchester  rapidly  in  the  air.  The 
response  by  heavy -loaded   muskets  revealed  that  these 


,i! 


1K«7. 
Oct.  16. 

Forest. 


i  ,;!! 


2U 


JN  DAliKEST  A  I'll II  A. 


18S7.     wore  the  Manvnemn  wlioni  we  had  been  ho  loiio-  seekiusr, 
■  ''•    and  scarcely  had  their  echoes  ceased  their  reverlx'ratiniis 
than    the    caravan    relieved   its   joy  hy   lon<;'  continued 
huriahs. 

We  descended  the  slope  of  the  cleai'inn'  to  a  little 
valley,  and  from  all  sides  of  an  op[)()site  slope  were  seen 
lines  of  men  and  women  issuinjj;  to  welcome  us  with 
friendly  hails.  We  looked  to  the  ri<4ht  and  left  and 
saw  thriving  fields,  Indian  corn,  rice,  sweet  potatoes  and 
beans.       The    well-known    sounds     of    Arab     iireetinff 


Ik 

\ 

i 


i\\ 


W    . 


KILONGA   LONGAS  STATION. 


and  liospita])le  tenders  of  friendship)  ])nrst  upon  our 
ears  ;  and  our  hands  were  soon  clasped  by  lusty  hu<>e 
fellows,  who  seemed  to  enjoy  life  in  the  wilds  as  much 
as  thev  couhl  have  enioved  it  in  their  own  lands. 
Tliese  came  principally  from  ^lanyuema,  though  their 
no  less  stout  slaves,  armed  with  percussion  muskets  and 
carbine,  echoed  heartily  their  superiors'  sentiments  and 
professions 

We  were  conducted  up  the  sloping  clearing  through 
fields    of    luxuriant    grain,    by    troops    of    men    and 


TJiAyKsdiviNa. 


236 


ougli 
and 


y()un«^'sters  who  were  iiTcprcssihly  frolicsome  in  their 
joy  at  the  new  arrivals  and  dawniny'  promise  of  a 
holiday.  On  ai'i'ival  at  the  viilau'e  we  were  invited  to 
take  onr  seats  in  deej)  shady  verandahs  where  we  soon 
liad  to  answer  to  hosts  of  (jiiestions  and  con^'ratnlations. 
As  the  caravan  tiled  past  ns  to  its  allotted  (piai'tei's 
which  men  were  appointed  to  show,  nnmerous  wei'e  the 
pi'aises  to  (lod,  uttei'ed  by  them  for  our  mai'velloiis 
escapes  from  the  terrihle  wilderness  tliat  stretched  from 
their  settlement  of  Ipoto  to  the  Basopo  Cataract,  a 
distance  of  li)7  miles,  pi'aises  in  which  in  our  inmost 
liearts  each  one  of  uur  sorely  tried  (;aravan  most  heartily 
joined. 


1MH7. 

(Vt.  17. 
Ipoto. 


I 


our 

nine 

nuch 

iiids. 

their 

and 

and 


!i        .    ;!; 


'   i! 


236 


IN  DARKEST  AFItlVA. 


CHAPTER  X. 


WITH    THE    MANYUEMA    AT   IPOTO. 


ill. 


I 


1887. 
Oct.  IH 

Ipoto. 


The  ivory  hunter:,  at  Ipoto — Their  mode  of  proceeding — The  Manyueiria 
headmen  and  their  raids— Eemedy  for  preventing  whole.'^ale  deva.sta- 
tions — Cru.sade  preaclied  by  ('ardinal  Lavigerie  —  Our  Zanzibar 
chiefs —Anxiety  respecting  Captain  Nelson  and  Jiis  followers — Our 
men  sell  their  weapons  for  food — Theft  of  Rifles — Their  return 
demanded — IJledi  turns  up  with  news  of  the  missing  chiefs — Con- 
tract drawn  up  with  the  Manyuema  headmen  for  the  relief  of 
Captain  Nelson — Jephson's  report  on  his  journey — Rci)ortsof  Captain 
Nelson  and  Surgeon  Parke — The  process  of  blood  brotherhood 
between  myself  and  Ismuili — We  leave  Ipoto. 

This  comiiiunity  of  ivory  hunters  established  at  Ipoto 
liad  arrived,  five  months  pi-evious  to  our  coming,  from 
the  banks  of  the  Luahiba,  from  a  point  situated  })e- 
tween  tlie  exits  of  the  Lowwa  and  tlie  Leopold  into 
the  great  river.  The  journey  had  occupied  them  seven- 
and-a-half  months,  and  they  had  seen  neither  grass  nor 
open  ('ountry,  nor  even  heard  of  them  daring  their 
wanderinos.  Thev  had  halted  a  month  at  Ivinnena  on 
the  Lindi.  and  h?'d  built  a  station-liouse  for  their  Chief 
Kilonga-Longa.  who,  when  he  had  joined  them  with  the 
main  body,  sent  on  about  200  guns  and  1200  slave 
carriers  to  strike  fuither  in  a  n  )rth-easterly  direction,' 
to  discover  some  other  prosperous  settlement  far  in 
advance  <d  him.  whence  thev  could  sallvout  in  bands  to 
destrov.  burn  and  enslave  natives  in  excliani>e  for 
ivory.  Through  continual  fighting,  and  the  carelessness 
whi(^h  the  unbalanced  mind  is  so  apt  to  fall  into  after 
one  or  more  happy  successes,  they  had  decreased  in 
number  within  seven-and-a-half  months  into  a  force  of 
about  ninety  guns.  On  reaching  the  liCnda  IJiver  they 
had  heard  of  the  settlements  of  Tuarrowwa,  and  sheered 


THE  IVORY  nVNTKRS  AT   IPOTO. 


237 


Ipoto 
from 
d  })e- 
iiito 
;eveii- 
ss  nor 
their 
na  on 
Chief 
h  the 
shive 
tion,' 
ir   in 
Is  to 
tor 
ssness 
after 
(1    in 
rce  of 
they 
leered 


1(1 
•e 


off  the  limits  of  his  raidinjj;-  circle  to  obtain  a  centre  of 
their  own,  and,  crossing  the  Lenda,  they  succeeded  in 
reaching  the  south  bank  of  the  Ituri,  a})out  south  of 
their  present  settlement  at  Ipoto. 

As  the  natives  would  not  assist  them  over  the  river 
to  the  north  bank,  they  cut  down  a  big  tree  and  with 
axe  and  fire  hollowed  it  into  a  sizeal)le  canoe  which 
conveyed  them  across  to  the  north  })ank  to  Ipoto. 
Since  that  date  they  had  launched  out  on  one  of  the 
most  sanguinary  and  destru(^tive  careers  to  which  even 
Tippu-Tib's  or  Tagamoyo's  career  ofler  ])ut  po<jr  com- 
parison. Towards  tlie  Lenda  and  Ihuru  Rivers,  they 
had  levelled  into  black  ashes  every  settlement,  their 
raue  for  destruction  had  even  been  vented  on  the 
plaintain  groves,  e^'ery  canoe  on  the  rivers  liad  l)een 
split  into  pieces,  every  island  had  been  searched,  and 
into  the  darkest  recesses,  whither  a  slight  track  could  be 
traced,  they  had  penetrated  with  only  one  dominating 
passion,  which  was  to  kill  as  many  of  the  men  and 
capture  as  many  of  the  women  and  children  as  craft  and 
cruelty  would  enable  them.  Jlowever  far  northward  or 
eastward  these  people  had  reached,  one  said  nine  days* 
march,  another  fifteen  days  ;  or  wherever  tliev  had  lione 
they  had  done  precisely  as  we  had  seen  between  the 
Lenda  River  and  Ipoto,  and  reduced  the  forest  land  into 
a  howling  wilderness,  and  throughout  all  the  immense 
area  liad  left  scarcely  a  hut  standing. 

What  these  destroyers  had  left  of  gi'oves  and  planta- 
tions of  plaintain  and  })ananas,  manioc,  and  corn-fields, 
the  elephant,  chimpanzee,  and  monkeys  had  trampled 
and  crushed  into  decaying  and  })utrid  nuick,  and  in 
their  places  had  sprung  uj),  with  the  swiftness  of  mush- 
rooms, whole  hosts  of  large-leafed  plants  native  to  the 
soil,  briars,  calamus  and  bush,  which  the  natives  had  in 
times  past  suppressed  with  their  knives,  axes  and  hoes. 
Witli  each  season  the  bush  grew  more  robust  and  taller, 
and  a  few  seasons  only  were  wanted  to  (;over  all  traces 
of  former  hal)itation  and  labour. 

Frcmi  Ipoto  to  the  Lenda  the  distan<'e  l)y  our  track  is 
105  miles.    Assume  that  this  is  the  distance  eastward  to 


1887. 
Oct.  18. 

Ipoto. 


'il  p 


I. '  !' 


* 


1 

■  .ii 


m: 


1 


1887. 
Oct.  18. 

Ipoto. 


238 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


wliic'li  their  ravages  have  extended,  {ind  northward  and 
southward,  and  we  liave  something  like  44,000  s(|uare 
miles.  AVe  know  what  Ugarrowwa  has  done  from  the 
preceding  pages,  what  he  was  still  doin^  with  all  the 
vigour  of  his  mind,  and  we  know  what  the  Aral)s  in  the 
Stanley  Falls  are  doing  on  the  Lumami  and  what  sort 
of  devil's  work  Mumi  ]\Iuhala,  and  Bwana  JMohamed 
are  perpetrating  around  Lake  Ozo,  the  source  of  the 
Lulu,  and,  once  we  know  where  their  centres  are 
located,  we  may  with  a  pair  of  compasses  draw  great 
circles  round  each,  and  park  oti"  areas  of  40,000  and 
50,000  s(piare  miles  into  which  half-a-dozen  resolute 
men,  aided  by  their  hundreds  of  bandits,  have  divided 
about  three-fourths  of  the  (ireat  Upper  Congo  Forest 
for  the  sole  purpose  of  murder,  and  Ijecoming  heirs  to  a 
few  hundred  tusks  of  ivory. 

At  the  date  of  our  arrival  at  Ipoto,  there  were  the 
Manvuema  headmen,  phvsicallv  fine  stalwart  fellows, 
named  Ismailia,  Khamisi,  and  Sangarameni,  who  were 
responsible  to  Kilonga-Longa,  their  chief,  for  the  followers 
and  operations  entrusted  to  their  charge.  At  alternate 
periods  each  set  out  from  Ipoto  to  his  own  special 
sub-district.  Thus,  to  Ismailia,  all  roads  from  Ipoto  to 
Ibwiri  and  east  to  the  Ituri  were  given  as  his  special 
char<>;e.  Khamisi's  area  was  aloiiii;  the  line  of  the 
Ihuru,  then  east  to  Il»wiri,  to  Sangarameni  all  the  land 
east  and  west  })etween  the  Ibiiia  and  Ihuru  atHuents  of 
the  Ituri.  Altogether  there  were  150  fiohtino-  men,  but 
only  a])out  90  were  armed  with  guns.  Kilonga-Longa 
was  still  at  Kinnena,  and  was  not  expected  for  three 
months  yet. 

The  fighting  men  under  the  three  leaders  consisted  of 
Bakusu,  Balegoa,  and  Basongora,  youths  who  were 
trained  by  the  Manyuema  as  raideis  in  the  forest  region, 
in  the  same  manner  as  in  1876,  Manyuema  youths  had 
})een  trained  bv  Arabs  and  Waswahili  of  the  east  coast. 
We  see  in  this  extraordinary  increase  in  number  of 
raiders  in  the  Upper  CV)ngo  basin  the  fiuits  of  the  Arab 
policy  f)f  killing  off  tlie  adult  aborigines  and  presei'ving 
the  children.     The  girls  are  distributed  among  the  Arab, 


THE  MANYUKMA    HEADMEN  AND    THEIR    RAIDS.      280 


the 


Swahili  and  Manyuema  harems,  the  boys  are  trained 
to  eaiTV  arms  and  are  exercised  in  the  use  of  tlieni. 
When  they  are  grown  tall  and  strong  en<-'\gh  they  are 
rewarded  with  wives  from  the  female  servants  of  the 
harem,  and  then  are  admitted  partners  in  these  l)loody 
ventures.  So  many  parts  of  the  profits  are  due  to  the 
great  proprietor,  such  as  Tippu-Tib,  or  Said  })in  Alted,  a 
less  number  becomes  the  due  of  the  headmen,  and  the 
remainder  becomes  the  property  of  the  bandits.  At 
other  times  large  ivories,  over  35  lbs.  each,  become  the 
property  of  the  proprietor,  all  over  20  lbs.  to  35  lbs. 
belong  to  the  headmen,  scraps,  pieces  and  young  ivory 
are  permitted  to  be  kept  by  the  lucky  finders.  Hence 
every  member  of  the  caravan  is  inspired  to  do  his  best. 
The  caravan  is  well  armed  and  well  manned  by  the  pro- 
prietor, who  stays  at  home  on  the  Congo  or  Lualal)a  river 
indulging  in  rice  and  pilaf  and  the  excesses  of  his  harem, 
the  headuien,  inspired  l)y  greed  and  cupidity,  become 
ferocious  and  stern,  the  bandits  tiing  themselves  upon  a 
settlement  without  mercy  to  oljtain  the  largest  shai'c  of 
loot,  of  chihlren,  flocks,  poultry,  and  ivory. 

All  this  would  })e  clearly  beyond  their  power  if  they 
possessed  no  gunpowder.  Not  a  mile  beyond  their 
settlements  would  the  Arabs  and  their  followers  dare 
venture.  It  is  more  than  likely  that  if  gunpowder  was 
prohibited  entry  into  Africa  there  would  be  a  geiu'i'iil 
and  (|uick  migration  to  the  sea  of  all  Ara})s  fi'om  inner 
Africa,  as  the  native  (*hiefs  would  be  immeasurably 
stronger  than  any  com))ination  of  Arabs  ai-med  with 
spears.  What  possible  chance  couhl  Tippu-Tib,  Abed  bin 
Salim,  Ugarrowwa  and  Kilonga-Longa  have  against  the 
Basongoi'a  and  l^akusu  ?  How  could  the  Arabs  of  L'jiji 
resist  the  Wajiji  and  Warundi,  or  how  could  those  of 
Unyamyembe'  live  among  the  bowmen  and  speai-men  of 
Unyamwezi  ? 

There  is  only  one  remedy  for  these  wliolesale  devas- 
tations of  African  aborigines,  and  that  is  the  soh'mn 
<'oml)ination  of  England,  (Jermany,  France,  Portugal, 
South  and  East  Africa,  and  Congo  State  against  the 
introduction    of    gunpowder    into    any     part    of     the 


1887. 
Oct.  18. 

Ipoto. 


(*;(:: 


240 


IN  DARKEST  AFIi/CA. 


1887. 
Oct.  18. 

Ipoto. 


«l 

i 

ij 

1 

1  i 

1'   ' 

\ 

:    ! 
i  i     1 

i 

Continent  except  for  the  use  of  their  own  agents, 
sokliers,  {iiul  emph)y(j.s,  or  seizing  upon  every  tusk  (jf 
ivory  })rought  out,  as  there  is  not  a  single  piece  nowa- 
days which  has  l)een  gained  hiwfully.  Every  tusk, 
piece  and  scrap  in  the  possession  of  an  Aral)  trader  has 
})een  steeped  and  dyed  in  ])h)od.  Every  pound  weight 
has  cost  the  life  of  a  man,  woman  or  child,  for  every  five 
pounds  a  hut  has  been  burned,  for  every  two  tusks  a 
whole  village  has  been  destroyed,  every  twenty  tusks 
have  been  ol)taiiied  at  the  price  of  a  district  with  all  its 
people,  villages  and  plantations.  It  is  simply  incredible 
that,  ])ecauKe  ivory  is  re(]uired  fqv  ornaments  or  Inlliard 
games,  the  rich  heart  of  Africa  should  be  laid  waste  at 
this  late  year  of  the  nineteenth  century,  signalized  as  it 
has  been  by  so  much  advance,  that  populations,  tribes 
and  nations  should  be  utterlv  destroved.  Whom  after 
all  does  this  bloody  seizure  of  iv(>ry  enrich  ?  Only  a 
few  dozens  of  half-castes,  Aral)  and  Negro,  who,  if  due 
justice  were  dealt  to  them,  should  be  made  to  sweat  out 
tlie  remainder  of  their  piratical  lives  in  the  severest 
penal  servitude. 

On  arriving  in  civilization  after  these  terrible  dis- 
coveries, I  was  told  of  a  crusade  that  had  been  preached 
by  Cardinal  Lavigerie,  and  of  a  rising  desire  in  Europe  to 
effect  l)y  force  of  arms  in  the  old  crusader  style  and  to 
atta<'k  the  Arabs  and  their  followers  in  their  strongholds 
in  Central  Africa.  It  is  just  such  a  scheme  as  might  liave 
been  ex[)ected  from  men  wIk,  applauded  Oordoii  when 
he  set  out  with  a  white  wand  and  six  followers  to  rescue 
all  the  garrisons  of  the  Soudan,  a  task  which  14,000  of 
his  countrvmen,  under  one  of  the  most  skilful  Eimlish 
generals,  would  have  fou)id  impossible  at  that  date. 
We  pride  ourselves  upon  being  practical  and  sensible 
men,  and  yet  every  now  and  then  let  some  enthusiast — 
whether  Oladstone,  (Jordon,  Lavigerie  or  another — 
speak,  and  a  wave  of  Quixotism  spreads  over  many 
lands.  The  last  thing  I  heard  in  connection  with  this 
mad  project  is  that  a  band  of  100  Swedes,  who  have 
subscribed  £25  each,  are  about  to  sail  to  some  part  of 
the  East  Coast  of  Africa,  and  proceed  to  Taiiganika   to 


ixy. 


ANXJETl'  IIESI'ECTIXG  NELSOX  AXD  THE  .S/r/v'  CAMP.     241 


dis- 

ached 

)pe  to 

nd  t(3 

lolds 

have 

when 

escue 

100  of 

^lish 

date. 

isible 

ist— 

ler — 

many 

this 

have 

It  of 


i 


f'ommenee  ostensibly  the  extirpation  of  the  Arab  shive-     i887. 
trader,  ))ut  in  reality  to  eonnnit  suicide.  ^*^*-  ^^' 

However,  these   mattei's  are   n(»t   the   oltject  of   this      *'"'"' 
cliapter.    We  are  about  to  have  a  more  intimate  acipiaint- 
ance  with  the  morals  of  the  jManyuema,  and  to  under- 
stand them  better  than  we  ever  expected  we  should. 

They  had  not  heard  a  word  or  a  whisper  of  our  Head- 
men whom  we  had  despatched  as  couriers  to  obtain  relief 
for  Nelson's  party,  and,  as  it  was  scarcely  possible  that 
a  starvino-  caravan  would  accomplish  the  distance  be- 
tween Nelson's  Camp  and  Ipoto  before  six  active  and 
intelligent  men,  we  began  to  fear  that  among  the  lost 
men  we  shorM  have  to  number  our  Zanzibari  chiefs. 
Tlieir  track  was  clear  as  far  as  the  crossing-place  of  the 
1 4tli  and  loth  Deceml)er.  It  was  most  probalde  that 
the  witless  men  would  continue  up  the  river  until  they 
were  overpowered  by  the  savages  of  some  unknown 
village.  ()ur  minds  were  never  free  from  anxietv 
respecting  ('a})t.  Nelson  and  his  followers.  Thirteen 
(lavs  had  already  ela})sed  since  our  parting.  During  this 
period  their  position  was  not  worse  than  ours  had  been. 
The  forest  was  around  them  as  it  was  around  us.  They 
were  not  loaded  down  as  we  were.  The  most  active 
men  could  search  ab(>ut  for  food,  or  they  could  employ 
their  canoes  to  ferry  themselves  over  to  the  scene  of  the 
forage  of  the  '3rd  December,  one  day's  journey  by  land, 
oi'  an  hour  by  watei'.  liei'ries  and  fungi  altounded  on 
rlic  crest  of  the  hills  above  their  camp  as  in  othei-  })arts. 
Vet  we  were  anxious,  and  one  of  my  fii'st  duties  was  to 
try  and  engage  a  relief  party  to  take  food  to  Nelson's 
(•amp.  1  was  2)romised  that  it  should  be  arranged  next 
day. 

For  ourselves  we  received  three  goats  and  twelve 
baskets  of  Indian  corn,  which,  when  distributed,  gave 
six  ears  of  corn  per  man.  It  furnished  us  with  two  good 
meals,  and  many  must  have  felt  revived  and  refreshed, 
as  I  did. 

On  the  first  day's  halt  at  Tpoto  we  suffered  consider- 
able lassitude.  Nature  either  furnishes  a  stomach  and 
no  food,  or  else  furnishes  a   feast   and    robs  us    of  all 

VOL.  I.  Q 


242 


IN  DARKEIST  AFRICA. 


1887. 
Oct.  IH. 

Ijioto. 


m\ 


ajjpetite.  On  the  duy  ])ef()re,  and  on  this,  we  had  fed 
sumptuously  on  rice  and  pihif  and  goat  stew,  ])ut  now 
we  began  to  suti'er  from  many  illnesses.  The  masticators 
had  forgotten  their  oltice,  and  the  digestive  organs 
disdained  the  dainties,  and  atiected  to  be  deranged. 
Seriously,  it  was  the  natural  result  of  over-eating  ;  corn 
nuish,  grits,  pan-lied  corn,  beans  and  meat  are  solids 
re(piiring  gastric  juice,  which,  after  being  famished  for 
so  many  days,  was  not  in  sutticient  supply  for  the  eager 
demand  made  for  it. 

The  Manyuenia  had  aliout  .300  or  400  acres  under 
corn,  five  acres  under  rice,  and  as  many  under  beans. 
Sugar-(;ane  was  also  grown  largely.  They  possessed 
about  100  goats — all  stolen  from  the  natives.  In  their 
store-huts  they  had  immense  supplies  of  Indian  corn 
drawn  from  some  village  near  the  Iliuru,  and  as  yet 
unsl'ucked.  Their  banana  plantations  were  well  stocked 
with  iruit.  Indeed  the  condition  of  every  one  in  the 
settlement  was  prime. 

It  is  but  ri«>ht  to  acknowledtje  that  we  were  received 
on  the  first  day  with  ostentatious  kindness,  but  on  the 
third  day  something  of  a  strangeness  sprang  up  between 
us.  Their  (cordiality  probably  rose  from  a  belief  that 
our  loads  contained  some  desirable  articles,  liut  unfortu- 
nately the  first-class  beads  that  would  have  suffi(;ed  for 
the  purchase  of  all  their  stcK'k  of  corn  were  lost  by  the 
capsizing  of  a  canoe  near  Panga  Falls,  and  the  gold 
braided  Arab  burnooses  wcr-'  stolen  below  Ugarrowwa, 
by  deserters.  Disappointed  at  not  receiving  the  expected 
(juantity  of  fine  cloth  or  fine  beads,  they  proceeded 
systematically  to  tempt  our  men  to  sell  everything  they 
possessed,  shirts,  caps,  daoles,  waist  cloths,  knives,  belts, 
to  whicli,  being  their  personal  property,  we  couhl  make  no 
objection.  But  the  lucky  owners  of  such  articles  having 
been  seen  by  others  less  fortunate,  hugely  enjoying 
varieties  of  succulent  food,  were  the  means  of  inspiring 
the  latter  to  envy  and  finally  to  theft.  The  unthrifty 
and  reckless  men  sold  their  ammunition,  accoutrements, 
})ill  hooks,  ramrotls,  and  finally  their  Remington  Rifles. 
Thus,  after  escaping  the  terrible  dangers  ot  starvation 


I        I      '; 


corn 


eager 


<Tokl 


i 


OUR   MEN  HELL    THEIR    WEAI'OX.S   FOR   FOOD. 


243 


and  such  injuries  as  the  many  savage  triljes  could  infli(;t 
on  us,  we  were  in  near  peril  of  becoming  slaves  to  the 
Aral)  slaves. 

Despite  entreaties  for  c(n-n,  we  could  obtain  no  more 
than  two  ears  per  man  per  day.  I  promised  to  pay 
triple  price  for  everything  received,  on  the  arri\'al  of 
the  rear  column,  but  with  these  people  a  present 
possession  is  better  than  a  prospective  one.  They 
professed  to  doubt  that  we  had  cloth,  and  to  believe 
that  we  had  travelled  all  this  distance  to  fioht  them. 
We  represented  on  the  other  hand  that  all  we  needed 
were  six  ears  of  corn  per  day  during  nine  days'  rest. 
Three  rifles  disappeared.  The  Headmen  denied  all 
knowledge  of  them.  We  were  compelled  to  reflect  that, 
if  it  were  true,  they  suspected  we  entertained  sinister 
intentions  towards  them,  that  surely  the  safest  and 
craftiest  policy  would  be  to  purchase  our  arms  secretly, 
and  disarm  us  altogether,  when  they  could  enforce  what 
terms  they  pleased  on  us. 

On  the  2 1st  six  more  rifles  were  sold.  At  this  rate 
the  Expedition  would  l)e  wrecked  in  a  short  time, 
for  a  body  of  men  without  arms  in  the  heart  oi  the 
great  forest,  with  a  host  of  men  to  the  eastward  and  a 
large  body  to  the  westward  depending  upon  them,  were 
lost  beyond  hope  of  salvation.  Both  advance  and 
retreat  were  equally  cut  off,  and  no  resource  would  be 
left  but  absolute  submission  to  the  chief  who  chose  to 
assert  himself  to  be  our  master  or  Death.  Therefore  I 
})r()p()sed  for  my  part  to  struggle  strongly  against  su(;h 
a  fate,  and  either  to  provoke  it  instantly,  or  ward  it  off 
l)y  prompt  action. 

A  muster  was  made,  the  five  men  without  arms  were 
sentenced  to  twenty-five  lashes  each  and  to  be  tied  up. 
After  a  considera])le  fume  and  fuss  had  been  exhibited, 
a  man  stepped  up,  as  one  was  a])out  to  undergo  punish- 
ment and  begged  permission  to  speak. 

"This  man  is  innocent,  sir.''  "  I  have  his  rifle  in  my 
hut,  1  seized  it  last  night  fnmi  Juma  (one  of  the  cooks), 
son  of  Forkidi,  as  he  l)ronuht  it  to  a  Manvuema  to  sell, 
it  may  be  Juma  stole  it  from  this  man.      I  know  that 


m 


1887. 
Oct.  IS. 

Ipoto. 


s:-'.-; 


W 


(h: 


lit! 


244 


7.V  DABKEST  AFJUCA. 


18S7. 
Oct.  -Jl. 

Iliotn. 


all  these  men  have  pleaded  that  their  rifles  have  ')een 
stolen  by  others,  while  they  slept.  It  may  Ije  true  as 
in  this  ease."  ^Meantime  »Juma  had  Hown,  'out  was 
found  hiter  on  hidino-  in  the  corn  fields.  lie  ecmfessed 
that  he  had  stolen  two,  and  had  taken  them  to  the 
informer  to  be  disposed  of  for  corn,  or  a  goat,  but  it  was 
solely  at  the  instigation  of  the  inf' ymer.  It  may  have 
been  true,  for  scarcely  (me  of  them  but  was  ([uite 
cap-'i  '  of  such  a  course,  but  the  story  was  hinie,  and 
inrrru^onable  in  this  case  and  was  rejected.  Another 
]  :V'  ,  i\e  up  and  recognized  Juma  as  the  thief  who  had 
ab,irract«>'  his  rifle — and  having  proved  his  statement 
and  confession  having  been  made— the  prisoner  was 
sentenced  to  immediate  execution,  which  was  accord- 
ingly carried  out  by  hanging. 

It  now  being  pi'oved  beyond  a  doubt  that  the 
Manyuema  were  purchasing  our  rifles  at  the  rate  of  a 
few  ears  of  corn  per  gun,  I  sent  for  the  head  men,  and 
make  a  formal  demand  for  theii"  instant  restitution, 
otherwise  they  would  be  responsible  for  the  conse- 
quences. They  were  inclined  to  be  wrathy  at  first. 
They  drove  the  Zanzibaris  ivoiw  the  village  out  into  the 
clearing,  and  there  was  eveiy  pros])ect  of  a  fight,  or  as 
was  very  probable,  that  the  P]x})edition  was  al)Out  to  be 
wrecked.  Our  men,  being  so  utterly  demoralized,  and 
utterly  In-oken  in  spirit  from  what  they  had  undergone, 
were  not  to  ])e  relied  on.  and  as  they  were  ready  to  sell 
themselves  for  c(jrn — there  was  little  chance  of  our 
winning  a  victory  in  case  of  a  struggle.  It  requires 
fulness  of  stomach  to  be  brave.  At  the  same  time 
death  was  sure  to  conclude  us  in  any  event,  for  to 
remain  (juiescent  under  such  circumstances  tended  to 
produce  an  ultimate  appeal  to  arms.  With  those 
eleven  rifles,  3000  rounds  of  ammunition  had  been  sold. 
No  option  presented  itself  to  me  than  to  be  firm  in  my 
demand  for  the  rifles  ;  it  was  reiterated,  under  a  threat 
that  I  would  proceed  to  take  other  means — and  as  a 
proof  of  it  they  had  but  to  look  at  the  body  hanging 
from  a  tree,  for  if  we  proceeded  to  such  extremities  as 
putting  to  death  one  of  our  own  men,  they  certainly 


1 


;U 


THEFT   OF   orji   lUFLES. 


245 


oiiojht  to  know  that  we  sliould  feel  ourselves  perfectly 
prepared  to  take  vengeanee  on  those  who  had  really 
caused  his  death  l)y  keeping  open  do(jrs  to  receive  stolen 
pn^perty. 

After  an  hour's  stormino'  in  their  villaoe  thev  '.  'ouoht 
five  ritles  to  nie,  and  to  my  ast(jnishment  pointed  the 
sellers  of  them.  Had  it  not  been  impolitic  in  the  first 
place  to  drive  things  to  the  extreme,  I  should  have 
declined  receiving  one  of  them  back  before  all  had  been 
returned,  and  could  1  have  been  assured  of  the  aid  of 
fifty  men  I  should  have  declared  for  a  fight ;  but  just  at 
this  juncture  Uledi,  the  faithful  coxswain  of  the 
Advance,  strode  into  camp,  \  n/»ing  news  that  the  boat 
was  safe  at  the  landing-placu  '  Ipoto  and  of  his  dis- 
covery of  the  six  missin*.,  chiefs  in  a  starving  and 
bewildered  state  four  miles  Irom  the  settlement.  This 
produced  a  revulsion  of  fr  dings.  Gratitude  for  the 
discovery  of  my  lost  r  en,  the  sight  of  Uledi — the 
knowledge  that  after  aix,  despite  the  perverseness  of 
human  nature,  I  had  some  faithful  fellows,  left  me  for 
the  time  speechless. 

Then  the  tale  was  told  to  Uledi,  and  he  undertook  the 
business  of  eradicating  the  hostile  feelings  of  the  Man- 
yuema,  and  pleaded  with  me  to  let  bygones  be  byg<)iies 
on  the  score  that  the  dark  days  were  ended,  and  happy 
days  he  was  sure  were  in  store  for  us. 

For  surely,  dear  master,"  he  said,  "  after  the  longest 
night  comes  day,  and  why  not  sunshine  after  darkness 
with  us  ?  I  think  of  how  many  long  nights  and  dark  days 
we  pulled  through  in  the  old  times  when  we  pierced 
Africa  together,  and  now  let  your  heart  be  at  peace. 
Please  God  we  shall  foroet  our  troubles  before  h)n(2;." 

The  culprits  were  ordered  to  be  bound  until  morning. 
Uledi,  with  his  bold  frank  way,  sailed  straight  into  the 
aftections  of  the  Manyuema  headmen.  Presents  of  corn 
were  brought  to  me,  apologies  were  made  and  accepted. 
The  corn  was  distributed  among  the  people,  and  we 
ended  this  troublesome  day,  which  had  l)rougiit  us  all  to 
the  vero;e  of  dissolution,  in  much  oreater  content  than 
could  have  been  hoped  from  its  omincnis  commencement. 


1887. 
Oct.  -Jl. 

Ipoto. 


I 

M 


W' 


Ijioto. 


p^ 


P: 


^14 


1    t; 


246 


IN  D  AUK  EST  AFRICA. 


1887.  Our  loiiL!;  waiuleriiii''  i-hiefs  who  were  sent  as  heralds 

Oct.  21}.  of  om-  ap[)r()acli  to  [poto  arrived  on  Sunday  the  2.'{rd. 
They  surely  had  made  hut  a  fruitless  (juest,  and  they 
found  us  old  residents  of  the  place  they  had  been  des- 
patched to  seek.  J  laggard,  wan  and  feeble  from  seven- 
teen days  feeding  on  what  the  uninhai>ited  wihlerness 
aflorded,  they  were  also  greatly  abashed  at  their  failure. 
They  had  reached  the  Ibina  Kiver  which  Hows  from  the 
S.E.,  and  struck  it  two  days  above  the  confluence  with 
the  Ituri  ;  they  had  then  followed  the  tributary  down  to 
the  junction,  had  found  a  canoe  and  rowed  across  to  the 
right  bank,  where  they  had  nearly  perished  from  hunger. 
Fortunately  Uledi  had  discovered  them  in  time,  had 
informed  them  of  the  direction  of  Ipoto,  and  they  had 
crawled  as  they  best  could  to  our  camp. 

Before  night,  Sangarameni,  the  third  heau  man,  ap- 
peared from  a  raid  with  fifteen  fine  ivories.  He  said 
he  had  penetrated  a  twenty  days'  journey,  and  from  a 
high  hill  had  viewed  an  open  country  all  grass  land. 

Out  of  a  supply  1  obtained  on  this  day  I  was  able  to 
give  two  ears  of  corn  per  man,  and  to  store  a  couple  of 
baskets  for  Nelson's  party.  But  events  were  not  pro- 
gressing smoothly,  I  could  obtain  no  favourable  answer 
to  my  entreaty  for  a  relief  party.  One  of  our  men  had 
been  speared  to  death  by  the  Manyuema  on  a  charge  of 
stealing  corn  from  the  fields.  One  had  been  hanged, 
twenty  had  been  flogged  for  stealing  ammuniti(m, 
another  had  received  i^OO  cuts  from  the  Manyuema  for 
attempting  to  steal.  If  only  the  men  could  have 
reasoned  sensibly  during  these  days,  how  (piickly 
matters  couhl  have  been  settled  otherwise  ! 

I  had  spoken  and  warned  them  with  all  earnestness 
to  "  endure,  and  cheer  up,"  and  that  there  were  two 
ways  of  settling  all  this,  but  that  1  was  afraid  of  them 
only,  for  they  preferred  the  refuse  of  the  ^lanyuema  to 
our  washes  and  woj-k.  The  Manvuema  were  proving-  to 
them  wiiat  they  might  expect  of  them  ;  and  with  us 
the  worst  days  were  over  ;  all  we  had  to  do  was  to 
march  bex'ond  the  utmost  reach  of  the  ^lanvuema  raids, 
when  we  should  all  become  as  robust  as  they.     Bah  ! 


t  I 


L 


MANYl'h'MA  JlKADMh'X  AM)   THE  IlELIEF  OF  KELSON.     247 


f  iniiilit  MS  well  liavt'  addressed  my  appoals  to  tlio  trees 
of  the  forest  as  unto  wretches  so  sodden  with  despair. 

The  iManyueina  had  promised  me  three  several  times 
1)V  this  <hi\'  to  send  eii-htv  men  as  a  relief  nartv  to 
Nelson's  camp,  Imt  the  arrival  of  San^arameni,  and 
misunderstandings,  and  other  trifles,  had  disturbed  the 
airangements. 

On  the  24th  firing  was  heard  on  the  other  si(h>  of  the 
river,  and,  under  the  plea  that  it  indicated  the  arrival  of 
Kiloiiga-Longa.  the  relief  caravan  was  again  prevented 
from  setting  out. 

The  next  (hiy,  those  who  had  fired,  arrived  in  camp, 
and  proved  to  he  the  Manyuema  knaves  whom  we  had 
seen  on  the  2nd  of  October.  Out  of  fifteen  men  they 
had  h)st  one  maji  from  an  jtrrow  woun<L  They  liad 
wandered  for  twenty-four  (hiys  to  find  the  track,  hut 
having  no  other  h)ads  than  provisions  these  liad  lasted 
with  economy  for  fifteen  days,  1)ut  for  the  last  nine  days 
they  had  subsisted  on  nmshi'ooms  and  wild  fruit. 

On  this  evening  I  succeeded  in  drawing  a  conti'act,  and 
getting  the  three  headmen  to  agree  to  the  following  : — 

"To  send  thirty  men  to  the  relief  of  C*aptain  Nelsim, 
with  400  ears  of  corn  for  his  i)Hrty. 

"To  provide  C^aptain  Nelson  and  Surgeon  Parke,  and 
all  sick  men  unable  to  work  in  the  fields,  with  pro- 
visions, until  our  return  from  Lake  Albert. 

"  The  serviee  of  a  guide  from  Jpoto  to  T})wiri,  for 
which  they  were  to  be  paid  one  bale  and  a  half  of  elotli 
on  the  arrival  of  the  rear  column." 

It  was  drawn  up  in  Arabic  by  Rashid,  and  in  Englisii 
])y  myself,  and  witnessed  by  tlr'ee  men. 

For  some  fancy  articles  of  personal  })roperty  I  suc- 
ceeded in  purchasing  for  Mr.  .lephson  and  (\ipt.  Nelson 
250  ears  of  Indian  corn,  and  for  250  })istol  cartridges  1 
bought  another  (juantity,  and  for  an  ivory-framed  mirror 
from  a  dressing-case  purchased  two  l)askets  full ;  for 
three  bottles  of  ottar  of  roses  obtained  thi'ee  fowls,  so 
that  I  had  1000  ears  of  corn  for  the  relieving  and 
relieved  parties. 

On  the  2()tli  Mr.  MounteneyJeplison,  forty  Zanzil)aris, 


1ft87. 
Oct.  24. 

Jpoto, 


/:      \% 


24S 


AV   DAliKKST  AFliJCA. 


m^' 


#!i!f 


I,     I 


1887.     iind  thirty  Maiiyucnui  slavos  startcMl  on  tlicir  joiirncv  to 
Oct.  26.    J^J^^l^,),^\^    vnn\[).       I    caiuiot    do    iR'ttcr    tlifiii    introduce 
^*'"'     Mr.  .lephson's  report  on  his  journey. 

"  Arab  Scttlcinont  iit  Ipoto, 
"  Deau  Sir  "  -^'"'^'"''"''*  ■!'/'»  1HH7. 

"  I  U't't  lit  midday  on  Octolu'i-  'JGth,  and  arrivod  at  tlit>  river  and 
crossed  ovur  with  MO  Maiiyncma  and  lO  Zaii/.iltaris  under  my  charge  tlio 
same  afternoon  and  canipcd  on  landing.  The  next  morning  we  started 
ot!"  early  and  reached  tlie  camp,  wliere  we  had  crossed  tlie  river,  when  we 
wer(!  wandering  altout  in  a  starving  condition  in  scuirch  of  the  Arahs, 
l»y  midday  tho  signs  and  arrow  heads  we  had  markeil  on  the  trees  to 
show  tlie  chiefs  we  had  crossed  were  still  fresh.  1  reached  another  of 
our  cfimps  that  night.  The  next  day  we  did  nearly  three  of  our  foruuM' 
marches.  The  camp  wherc^  Feruzi  AH  had  got  his  death  wound,  and 
where  wo  liad  si)ent  tliree  such  miserable  da.ys  of  hunger  and  anxiety, 
hioked  very  dismal  as  we  j)assed  through  it.  J)iiring  the  day  we  passed 
the  skeletons  of  three  of  our  men  who  had  fallen  down  and  died  from 
sheer  starvation,  they  were  grim  reminders  of  the  misery  through  wiiich 
we  had  so  lately  gone 

"  On  the  morning  of  the  2'Jtli  I  started  off  as  soon  as  it  was  day- 
light, determining  to  reach  Nelson  that  day  and  decide  the  ([uestion 
as  to  his  being  yet  alive.  Accompanied  by  one  man  only,  I  soon  found 
myself  far  aliead  of  my  followers.  As  1  neared  Nelson's  camp  a 
feverish  anxiety  to  know  his  fate  jujssessed  me,  and  I  pushed  on  through 
streams  and  creeks,  by  banks  and  bogs,  over  which  our  starving  people 
had  slowly  toiled  with  the  boat  sections.  All  were  passed  by  ipiickly 
to-day,  and  again  the  skeletons  in  the  road  testified  to  the  trials  through 
which  we  had  passed.  As  1  came  down  the  hill  into  Nelson's  camp,  not 
a  sound  was  heard  but  the  groans  of  two  dying  men  in  a  hut  close  by, 
the  whole  place  had  a  deserted  and  woe-begone  look.  I  came  quietly 
round  the  tent  and  found  Nelson  sitting  there;  we  clasped  hands,  and 
then,  poor  fellow!  ho  turned  away  and  sobbed,  and  nuittered  something 
about  being  very  weak. 

"  Nelson  was  greatly  changed  in  ai)pearance,  being  worn  and  haggard 
looking,  with  ileep  lines  about  his  eyes  and  mouth.  He  told  nic; 
his  anxiety  had  been  intense,  as  day  after  day  i)assed  and  no  relief 
came;  ho  had  at  last  made  up  his  mind  that  something  had  hapjieiied 
to  lis,  and  that  we  had  been  compelled  to  abiuidon  him.  He  had 
lived  chiefly  upon  fruits  and  fungus  which  his  two  i)oys  had  brought 
in  from  day  to  day.  Of  the  tifty-two  men  you  left  witlj  him,  only 
Ave  remained,  of  whom  two  were  in  a  ilying  state.  All  tlie  rest  had 
either  deserted  him  or  were  dead. 

"  Jle  has  himself  given  you  an  account  of  his  losses  from  death 
and  desertion.  I  gave  him  the  food  you  sent  him,  which  I  had 
carefully  watched  on  the  way,  and  he  had  one  of  the  chickens  and 
some  i)orridge  cooked  at  once,  it  was  the  first  nourishing  food  he 
had  tasted  for  many  days.  After  I  had  liei'ii  thert.'  a  couiile  of  hours 
my  ])Cople  came  in  and  all  crowded  round  the  tent  to  offer  him  their 
congratulations. 

"  You  remember  Nelson's  feet  had  been  very  bad  for  some  days  before 
we  left  him,  he  had  hardly  left  the  tent  the  whole  time  he  had  been  here. 
At  one  time  ho  had  bad  ten  ulcers  on  one  foot,  but  he  had  now  recovered 
from  them  in  a  great  measure  and  said  ho  thought  he  would  be  able  to 
march  slowly.    On  the  cJUth  we  began  the  return  march.    1  gave  out 


BEl'Oins  OF  ,IKI'IIS(^S,  Xh'LSON,  AM)  I'AUKE.        24!> 


most  of  the  loads  to  the  Manyurma  iiiul  Zaiizilniris,  l)ut  was  oltIif;;('(l  to 
Iciivc  tliirttcii  lioxt's  of  mmimnition  aiid  suvcii  otlior  loads,  those  1  l>uriud, 
and  Parkin  will  Ix;  able  to  ft'tcli  tl  cm  later  on. 

"  Nelson  did  tlie  iniirclies  lietter  than  I  ex|)e('ted,  thoufih  he  was  mucli 
knoekecl  up  at  the  end  of  each  day.  On  the  return  march  \\v  crossed 
the  river  lower  down  and  made  our  way  up  th(>  rijiht  hank  and 
struck  your  old  roa<l  a  day's  march  from  the  Arah  camp.  Here  ii^'ain  we 
))asscd  more  skeletons,  at  ono  place  there  wen-  three  within  'J(H)  yards 
of  each  other. 

"  On  the  tlfih  day,  that  is  November  Hrd,  wc  reached  tho  Aral)  camp, 
and  Nelson's  relief  was  accomplished.  He  has  already  jtickecl  up 
wonderfully  in  sjtite  of  the  mardiiiif,',  hut  he  caiuiot  ^et  sleep  at  ni^^lit 
and  is  .still  in  a  nervous  and  hit^hly  struiij;;  state;  the  rest  in  the  A  rait 
camp  will,  I  trust,  set  him  \\\)  a;,'aiii.  It  is  certain  that  in  his  state  of 
health  he  could  not  have  tollowed  us  in  our  wanderings  in  search  of 
food,  he  must  have  fallen  by  the  way. 

"  I  am  i*tc.,  iV'c. 
"(Signed)    A.  J.  Molntkney  jKi'Mhoy." 

The  followiiinj  are  the  reports  of  Captain  Nelson  and 


Surgeon  Parke. 


"  Arab  Villape,  T|ioto, 

"  {Sih  Xonmhrr,  lb87. 


"Dk.\u  Sir, 

"  Mr.  Jei)hson  arrived  at  iny  camp  on  the  'i'Jth  October  with  the 
men  for  the  loads  and  with  the  food  you  sent  for  me.  Many  thanks  for 
the  food,  it  was  badly  needed.  He  will  tell  you  what  state  he  found  mo 
in  and  of  the  few  men  still  alive. 

"  You  left  me  on  tho  Gth  October  last;  on  the  morning  of  the  9th  I  got 
up  a  canoe  and  sent  Umari  and  thirteen  of  the  best  men  I  could  find 
(they  wei-e  all  very  bad)  over  the  river  to  look  for  food.  On  the  8th 
Assani  (No.  1  Company)  came  to  me  and  said  that  he  had  returned  from 
the  column  sick.  Same  day  Uledi's  brother  came  into  camp,  told  me  he 
had  lost  the  road  while  looking  for  bananas,  near  the  camj),  where  we 
met  the  Manyuema.  On  the  10th  I  founil  that  Juma,  one  of  Stairs' 
chiefs,  h.ad  cleared  in  the  night  with  ten  men,  and  stolen  a  canoe  and  gone 
down  river.  On  the  llth  I  counted  the  men  and  could  only  Hud  seven- 
teen (I  had  iifty-two  the  first  day);  the  rest  had  gone  away  either  after 
the  column  or  down  river.  On  the  14th  one  man  died.  Umari  returned 
with  very  few  bananas,  about  enough  for  two  days;  however,  they  were 
very  welcome,  as  1  had  nothing  but  herbs  and  fungi  to  eat  up  to  this 
time.  On  the  15th  another  man  died,  and  I  found  that  Saadi  (No.  I  ) 
with  some  other  men  had  come  into  camp  in  the  night  and  stolen  the 
can  3  (Umari  had  re-crossed  the  river  in)  and  goiK!  down  rivei'.  On  the 
17th  Umari  went  away  with  twenty- one  men  to  look  for  food;  I'Jtli,  man 
died;  22nd,  two  men  died;  23rd,  man  died;  2ytb,  two  men  die<l ;  Je])h- 
son  arrived;  30th,  one  man  died  ;  we  left  cauj])  on  way  here.  Umari  had 
not  returned;  he,  however,  if  alive,  will  come  on  hev.-,  1  feel  sure,  but 
how  many  men  with  him  I  cannot  tell,  i)erhai)s  five;  or  six  may  reach 
here  with  him.  With  the  exception  of  the  few  bananas  I  got  from  Umari 
I  lived  entirely  on  herbs,  fungi,  and  a  few  mabengu.  I  liad  ten  ulcers  on 
my  left  leg  and  toot  and  eo  wm  unable  to  look  for  food  yself  and  was 
kept  alive  entirely  by  my  two  boys  and  little  Baruk,  one  my  com])any, 
and  Abdalla,  a  man  Stairs  left  with  me.  J  was  very  weak  .vl.en  Jephs(jn 
arrived.  Now,  however,  I  feel  a  little  better.  V/e  arrived  at  the  village 
on  the  3rd  November,  the  chief  Ismail  brought  me  the  day  I  came  a  very 


O.t.  •-'•>. 
Il»>to. 


2r)0 


IN  DAliKE^iT  AFItlCA. 


Oct.  'Jti, 

]]10to. 


siiiiill  quantity  of  coiirsc  meal  and  two  small  dried  tisli,  about  enough  for 
one  nicui. 

"  Yesterday,  no  food  liavint;-  eonie  for  t\\<)  days,  we  sent  for  it.  and 
after  a  ;j;  hmI  deal  ot  ti'ouhle  Ismail  sent  us  a  little  meal.  At  ])resent  I 
am  livinj;  on  my  clothes;  we  get  hardly  anything  from  the  Chief.  To- 
day Dr.  i'arkc  and  1  went  to  the  Chief,  with  llamis  Pari  as  inter])retcr, 
and  talked  to  him  about  food.  He  told  us  that  im  (irrdiii/i  nimt  laid  bcni 
iinitl-  hi/  i/(i>(  for  /////  food,  and  that  he  was  feeding  the  Doctor  and  mo 
entirely  from  his  own  generosity,  ami  he  refused  to  feed  our  boys,  three 
in  number  (fewer  we  cannot  ijossibly  do  with),  as  you  never  told  him  to 
do  so. 

"  I  have  the  honour  to  be, 

"I!.  H.  Nklson." 


',1 


■  i 


It 


"My  de.\r  Mr.  St.\.\ley, 


"  Arab  Cam)),  Ipoto, 

"  yort'inhcr  iSth,  1887. 


"Ci])tain  Nelson  and  3Ir.  Jejilison  arrived  here  on  the  3rd  inst. 
a  few  of  the  Zanzibaris  and  Manynema  men  getting  in  with  their  loids 
the  ])rcvious  day.  Of  all  those  men  left  at  Nelson's  camp,  only  five  have 
arrived  liere,  the  remuining  live  ones  were  away  on  a  foragiuir  tour  with 
L'mari,  when  the  relief  pirty  arrived.  It  is  very  likely  that  some  of  them 
may  find  tlieir  way  here .-  it  so,  I  shall  get  Isniaili  to  allow  them  to  work 
for  their  food.  Nelson  stagtiere  I  into  camp  greatly  changed  in  a])])tar- 
ance,  a  complete  wreck  after  the  march,  Ins  features  shrunken  and 
pinched,  and  a  frame  reduced  to  half  its  former  size.  I  have  done  the 
l)est  I  could  for  him  medically,  but  good  nourishing  food  is  what  he 
ref(uires  to  restore  him  to  iiis  health :  and  I  regret  to  say  that  my  ex])e- 
rience  here  and  the  comei.sation  which  we  had  today  with  Ismaili  goes 
to  show  that  we  shall  have  to  exist  on  scanty  tare.  Since  you  left,  I  have 
had  some  Hour  and  corn  from  the  chiefs.  l)ut  this  was  generally  after 
sending  for  it  several  times  ]iy  a  lucky  accident  I  got  a  goat,  most  of 
which  I  distribute;!  amongst  the  sick  men  here,  for  I  am  informed  by 
Ismaili,  through  H.  Pari,  that  only  those  who  work  in  the  field  get  food, 
and  there  ani  some  here  who  certainly  cannot  do  so ;  therefore  they  are 
trusting  to  the  generosity  of  the  o+lier  men,  who  get  five  heads  of  corn 
tach  day  they  work.  Both  Nelson  and  myself  have  much  trouble  in 
getting  food  f''(mi  Ismaili  tor  our.'^elves,  and  he  has  refused  to  fed  our 
boys,  who  are  aiisoliitely  necessary  to  draw  water,  cook,  dc,  Ac,  although 
I  have  reduced  mine  to  one. 

"  N\:lson  and  myself  went  and  saw  him  to  day  (Hamis  Pari,  interpreter), 
and  Ismaili  stated  that  you  liad  told  the  chiefs  that  a  big  ]Mzungu  was  to 
come  (Nelson),  and  he  would  make  his  own  arrangements  about  food^ 
and  that  I  was  here  living  on  his  (Ismaili  s)  generosity,  as  no  arrang(!- 
ments  had  lieen  m  idi'  for  me.  I  remintled  him  of  the  conver.sition  you 
had  with  him  in  yoiir  tent  the  evemiig  you  called  me  down  and  gave  mc 
your  gold  watcli,  and  I  said  that  you  had  told  me  thai  you  had  tuade  a 
written  arrangenunt  with  the  chiefs  that  both  Nelson  and  my.'^elf  should 
be  prooisiiinvil.  We  both  told  him  that  we  did  not  want  goats  and  fowls, 
but  sini])ly  what  he  can  give  us.  Not  liaving  seen  any  ngieeinent,  I  coidd 
not  argue  further,  but  asked  to  see  the  docuinent.  so  that  we  nn'ght  ■ 
convinci'  him;  this  he  said  he  coidd  not  do,  as  Hamis,  the  Chief,  hail  it, 
a!id  he  was  away,  and  would  not  return  for  two  nioidhs,  He  however 
sent  lis  11))  ,^ome  corn  shortly  afterwards.  This  is  a  very  unlia)t)iy  state 
of  affairs  for  us  who  shall  have  to  remain  here  for  so  long  a  time. 
Nelson  has  sold  much  ol'  his  clothes,  and  out  of  my  scanty  su)i)ily  (,iuy 


of 


I"", 


o 

>• 


O 


a 

X. 

■< 

J', 
o 

.J 

W 


1  lii'i' 


1 

a 


BLOOD   BliOTIIERHOOD    WITH   ISMAIIJ. 


2r>3 


' 


haf:  having  bocii  lost  on  the  march),  T  have  l)cen   oliliged   to  make   a 
I'nrtlior  sale  so  as  to  ]»rovi(le  ourselves  with  sufficient  food. 

"  We  sliall  get  along  here  as  l)est  we  can,  and  sacrifice  much  to  kec]^ 
on  friendly  tei'ns  witli  the  Arabs,  as  it  is  of  such  essential  imiKjrtance.  T 
sincerely  hope  you  will  have  every  success  in  attaining  the  object  of  the 
Exjicdition,  and  that  we  shall  all  have  an  ojtportunity  of  meeting  soon 
and  congratulating  Eniin  Tasha  on  his  relief. 

"  With  best  wishes,  dkc, 

(Signed)     "  T.  II.  Pakke, 
"  A.M.D. 


1SS7, 
Oct.  ItJ. 

Ipoto. 


"Arab  Village,  ipoto, 
"])EUl  Sir  "  lO//(  Xoreiiil>er,liiS7. 

"  1  am  sorry  to  liave  to  tell  yon  that  several  attempts  have  been 
made  to  rob  tlie  hut,  and  last  night  nnforti;nately  they  managed  to  get  a 
box  of  amnnmiticm  out  of  I'arke's  tent  while  we  were  having  dinner; 
also  one  attemjit  to  burn  the  hut,  which  hap])  ly  I  frustrated,  owing  to  my 
not  being  able  to  slee]>  well.  We  have  sjioken  to  the  Chief  Ismail  about 
tlie  thieving :  he  says  it  is  done  by  Zanzil)aris  and  not  by  his  jieojile;  but 
if  there  were  no  sak'  for  the  carti'idges  they  would  not  be  stolen.  Jt  is  ot 
course  most  unfortunate.  Since  -lepli.son  left,  the  erormous  (piantity  of 
forty  small  heads  of  Indian  corn  has  been  given  to  ns  by  Ismail ;  this  is 
of  course  (juite  .absuril;  as  wo  cannot  live  on  it,  we  get  herbs,  with 
which  we  supplement  our  scanty  fare. 

"  riedi  returned  this  afternoon  and  goes  on  to-morrow,  and  by  him  1 
send  this  letter. 

"  With  kindest  regards  to  you,  Sir,  Stairs  and  Jcphson. 

"  I  have  the  honour  to  be.  iVrc,  »'i:c., 

(Signed)     "  H.  H.  Nelson. 

r.S.— ,)ust  as  I  finished  this  letter  the  Chief  sent  us  a  little  nual, 
which  evidently  was  done  so  that  Uledi  who  was  waiting  for  the  letter 
could  tell  you  that  wo  were  getting  plenty  (! !)  of  food. 

"JI.  M.  Stanley,  E.m|. 
"Commanding  E.  P.  R.  Ex]iedition." 

On  the  oveiiinu'  <»t'  tlic  •Jdrli  Ismaili  entered  my  hut, 
and  declared  that  he  liad  hef'uniL'  so  attach('(l  to  me  that 
he  wouhl  dearly  love  to  o()  throiioji  the  proccs,^  of  hlood- 
hrotherhood  with  me.  As  J  was  ahoiit  to  entrust 
C'aptain  Nelson  and  Sui'oeon  Varke  and  alioiit  thirtv 
sick  men  to  the  diarue  of  himself  and  ln'oilici'  chiefs, 
I  remlilv  consented,  thouoh  it  was  somewhat  ii/frtf  (//(/. 
to  make  brotherhood  with  a  slave,  liut  as  he  was 
powerful  in  that  Itlnody  oan,o'  of  handits.  1  [)ocketed  my 
dionity  ;■  id  underwent  the  cei'emonv.  I  then  selected 
a  five-o'uinea  ruu.  silk  handkerchiefs,  a  couple  of  yards  of 
'•rinison  lu'oadcioth.  and  a  i'ew  othei'  mostly  triiles. 
Finalh'  1  made  anothei-  wi'itter,  aareemeut  for  uuides  to 
tit'conipany  nie   to   the  distiwice  of  fifteen   camps,  which 


i"9r-  ^. 


2;-)4 


IN  DJIiKFST  AFJ;j:'A. 


1887. 
Oot.  2»). 

Ipoto. 


lie  said  was  tlie  limit  of  liis  territoi'v,  i.nd  givjd  treat- 
ment of  my  otiicers,  and  handed  to  him  a  ^ohl  watch 
and  chain,  value  £49  in  London,  as  pledge  of  tins 
agreement,  in  presence  of  Surgeon  Parke. 

The  next  day  after  leaving  Surgecin  Parke  to  attend 
to  his  friend  Nelson  and  twenty-nine  men.  we  left  Ipoto 
with  our  reduced  force  to  sti'i\e  once  moix^  with  the 
hunger  of  the  wilderness. 


V 


reut- 
vatch 

tliis 

|)()tO 

the 


CHAPTER  XL 


THROUGH   THE    FOREST    TO    MAZAMBOXI S    ^EAK. 

Ill    the  eonntry   of  the  Balcssr— Tlicir  liouses  and   cloariiif^s — Natives 
of  Bukiri — ^The  first  villapie  of    dwarfs  —  Our   rate    of    progress 
increased — The  road  from  Maiulninjxii's — Halts  at   East   and  West 
Indekaru — A  littlo  storm  hetw  en  "Three  OVh:)ok  "  and  Kbamis — 
We  reach  Ibwiri — Khamis  and   the  "  vile  Zanzil)aris" — The  ll)\viri 
clearing — Plentifnl   provisions— The   state   of  my  men;   and   wliat 
they   had   recently  gone  througli — Khamis   and   party   explore  tlie 
neighbourhood — And    return    witli   a    flock    of    goats  —  Khamis 
captures  Boryo,  hut  is  released  — Jejihson    returns   fi'om    the   relief 
of  Cai)tain   Nelson — Departure   of   Khamis   and   tlie   Manyuema — 
Memorandum  of  charges  against   Messrs.    Kilonga  Longa   &  Co.  of 
Ipoto — .Suicide  of  Simha — Sali's  rettectioiis  on  the  .same— Lieutenant 
Stairs    reconnoitres — Mu.ster    and    re-organisation    at    Ih'.viri — Im- 
proved   condition  of  the  men — Boryo's  village— ]?alesse  custo:.\s — 
East   Indenduru — We    reach    the    outskirts   of    the    forest- !Mwunt 
Pisgah  — The  village  of  lyugu —  Heaven's  light  at  last !   The  beautiful 
grass-land     We   drop   across    an   ancient   crone-  In  icsura  ar  I  its 
])roducts— Juma's  ca))ture — The  Ituri  river  again — ^\  '  .nr.ergc  upon 
a  rolling   ])lain^And    forage  in  some  villages — 1'  f^    ;   ode   of   hut 
construction  "Tlie    district  of  the  Babusesse— Our  \  '^iri  oaj. lives — 
Natives  attack  the  cam])— The  course  of  the  Ituri     J'h.e  natives  of 
Almnguma— Our  fare  since  leaving  IliAviri     Ma/nmboin  s  reuk--Tl;e 
east  Tturi--A  mass  of  ])laiitations— Din.oii^tratioii  bv  il:(>  nativcp- 
Our  cam)i  on  the  crc^t  of  N/era  Knm — "Be  stnu  g  and  of   t  goud 
courage"— Friendly  intercourse      tli  tie  natives— VvC  are  ci'inj  elkd 
to  disperse  tlieni— Peace  arrani:(d— Anns  of  the  Bandussiima. 

^^  E  m.irclicd  for  two  hoins  to  Vuiiil)U,  and  in  idur  and 
a  (quarter  hours  on  the  followino;  <hiy  to  I^usitidi. 

We  were  now  iii  tlie  con  itry  of  the  Bah^s.se.  TIip  ai-cln- 
tecture  was  peculiar.  Its  peculiarity  consisted  in  a  Jono' 
street  flanked  ])V  a  \o\\<x  h^w  w<>'><lcn  Iniildino'.  or  rather 
planked  huildin'o'.  on  either  side.  200,  ."500.  or  400  feet 
Ion,<4-.  At  first  siojit  one  of  these  vilhiges  api)eare({  like 
a  lono-  oahle-roofed  struciui'e  sawn  in  exact  half  a.lonjx 
the  rid^e  of  the  roof,  and  a  if  eadi  half  hoibse  had  Iteen 
removed  hackwiO'd  for  a  distance  of  '2{)  or  30   i'eet,  and 


lSf^7. 
0,  t.  -JH. 

Viinibu. 


i.  '^1 


5'r  ■ 


2:.  (5 


Oct.  •_",'. 

BiHinili. 


fX    I>AL'Ki:,ST  AFJifCA. 


then  ;i](»n<i'  the  inner  sides  1>eeii  ])<)ar(le<l  up,  and  pierced 
with  h)\v  (h)('i's,  to  olttain  entriiiice  into  independent 
apartments.  The  liu'lit  wood  of  the  Hnluacac  atlbrds  oood 
material  for  tliis  kind  of  liouse.  A  sizeal)le  tree,  1  foot 
IS  inches,  or  2  feet  in  diameter,  is  felk^d.  and  the  h>i;'  is 
cut  into  sliort  pieces  from  four  to  six  feet  in  length  ; 
the  pieces  are  easily  split  ky  hard  wedges,  and  with 
their  small  neat  adzes  they  c(»ntrive  to  shape  the  plarJv 
.smooth,  tolerahly  even,  and  s([uare.  They  are  <»enerally 
an  inch  or  an  inch  and  a  (juarter  thick.  For  what  is 
called  the  ceiling-  or  inner  hoardinu',  the  hoards  are 
thinner   and   narrower.      When   a  sufficient    numher   of 


I  H 


SHIELDS   OF   Tin:   BALESSK. 


hoards  and  planks  are  ready,  the  inner  ceilino-  is  lashed 
to  the  u})rinhts.  freijuently  in  as  neat  a  fashion  as  a 
•aTpenter's  apprentice  mio-jit  do  it  with  saw.  nails  and 
hammer  ;  on  the  outer  side  of  tlie  upi'iuhts  are  lashed 
tlie  thicker  planks,  or  hi-oad  slahs,  the  1m»11ow  hetween 
the  inner  and  outer  frame  is  then  stuffed  with  the 
phrynia,  or  oanana  leaves.  The  wall  facino;  the  street 
may  he  !)  feet  high,  the  hack  wall  facing  the  forest  or 
clearing  is  4  or  4^  feet  higii,  the  width  of  the  house 
varies  from  7  to  id  feet.  Altogether  it  is  a  comfortahle 
and  snug  mode  of  hiiilding.  rather  dangerous  in  case  of 
tire,  but  very  defensihle.  with  trifling  lahour. 


THE   COUNTRY    UF    THE   BALK^SE. 


'i:^l 


Another  peculiarity  of  the  Balesse  is  the  coiulition  of 
their  clearings,  and  some  of  these  arc  very  extensive, 
(jiiite  a  mile  and  a  half  in  (liametc,  and  the  whole 
strewn  with  the  relics,  dehi-is.  and  tM..oer  of  thepi'imeval 
forest.  Indeed  I  cannot  compare  a  IJalesse  deai'ing'  to 
anything'  better  than  a  mii>hty  ahattis  suri'oundino'  the 
principal  village,  and  over  this  ahattis  the  ti'aveller  has 
to  find  his  way.  As  one  steps  out  of  the  .liadow  of  the 
forest,  the  j)ath  is  at  first,  may  be,  along  the  trunk  of  a 
fjreat  tree  for  100  feet,  it  then  turns  at  riuht  ani>lcs 
along  a  great  branch  a  few  feet ;  he  takes  a  few  paces 
on  the  soil,  then  finds  himself  in  front  of  a  massive 
prostrate  tree-stem  ."}  feet  in  diametei'  or  so  ;  he  climbs 
over  that,  and  presently  finds  himself  facing  the  out- 
spreading limbs  of  another  giant,  amongst  which  he 
must  creep,  and  twist,  and  crawl  to  get  footing  on 
a  branch,  then  from  the  branch  to  the  trunk,  he  takes 
a  half  turn  to  the  right,  walks  along  the  tree  from  which, 
increasing  in  thickness,  he  must  soon  clind)  on  top  of 
another  that  has  fallen  across  and  atop  of  it,  when  after 
taking  a  half-turn  to  the  left,  he  must  follow,  ascend- 
ing it  until  he  is  20  feet  above  the  gi'ound.  When 
he  has  got  among  the  ])ranches  at  this  dizzy  iieiglit, 
he  needs  judgment,  and  to  be  proof  against  nervous- 
ness. After  tender,  delicate  balancing,  he  places  his 
foot  on  a  l)rancli — at  last  descends  cautiously  along 
the  steep  slope  until  he  is  G  feet  fnmi  the  ground 
fnmi  which  he  must  jnmp  on  to  another  tapering 
branch,  and  follow  that  to  another  height  of  20  feet, 
then  ah)ng  the  monster  tree,  then  down  to  the  ground  ; 
and  so  on  for  hours,  the  hot,  burning  sun,  and  the  ch)se, 
steamy  atmosphere  of  the  clearing  forcing  the  perspira- 
tion in  streams  from  his  body.  I  have  narrowly  escaped 
death  three  times  during  these  frightful  gvninastic 
exercises.  ( )ne  man  died  where  lie  fell.  Several  men  were 
frightfully  bruised.  Yet  it  is  not  so  dangerous  with  the 
naked  feet,  but  with  f)oots  in  the  early  morning,  before 
the  dew  is  dried,  or  after  a  rain,  or  when  the  advance- 
guard  has  smeared  the  timber  with  a  greasy  <-lay,  I 
liave  had  six  falls  in  an  hour.     The  village  stands  in  the 

VOL.  I.  K 


18h7. 
Oft.  'ii'J. 

Busindi. 


^lii; 


(Tif 


il>ii 


2r,H 


JN   DAllKKtiT  AFIUVA. 


tli 


Oct.  2',r. ' 
Busiiuli. 


(•(Miti'c.  we  lijive  often  (•oni'Tatulated  ourselves  on  coniino" 
to  aclcjiriiiLi,'  at  the  near  a})proacli  to  <'ain))inu,-tiine,  })ut  it 
lias  fi'e(|U('iitIv  occii[)ie(l  us  one  hour  and  a  hall"  to  reach 
the  villauc.  It  is  a  most  curious  sioiit  to  see  a  caravan 
laden  with  heavy  })urdens  \valkin,i>'  over  this  wreck  of  a 
forest,  and  timbered  clearing'.  Streams,  swamps,  water- 
courses, ditches  are  often  twenty  to  twenty-five  feet 
helow  a  tapei'int;'  slippery  tree,  which  crosses  them 
bridge-like.  Some  men  are  fallinn'.  some  are  tottering", 
one  or  two  have  already  fallen,  some  are  twenty  feet 
above  the  ground,  others  are  on  the  ground  creeping 
undei"  logs.  Many  are  wandering  among  a  maze  of 
bi'anches,  tliirtv  or  more  nuiv  be  standini''  on  one  delicate 
and  straight  shaft,  a  few  may  be  posted  like  sentries  on 
a  })ranch.  perplexed  which  way  to  move.  All  this, 
jiowever.  is  made  much  harder,  and  more  dangerous, 
when,  from  a  luuub-ed  points,  the  deadly  arrows  are 
Hying  from  concealed  natives,  which,  thank  TIeaven, 
were  not  common.  We  have  been  too  cautious  for  that 
kind  of  work  to  happen  often,  though  we  have  seldom 
been  a})le  to  leav^e  one  of  these  awful  clearings  without 
having  some  ni.iu's  foot  skewered,  or  s(mie  one  lamed. 

On  the  29th  we  marched  to  Bukiri  or  Myyulus,  a 
distance  of  nine  miles  in  six  hours. 

A  few  natives  having  l)een  tormented  and  persecuted 
to  submission  to  the  Manyuema,  greeted  us  with  cries 
f  ■■  Bodo  !  Bo(h)  I  LTlenda  1  Llenda  I  "  ;  greetings  which 
they  acc()mpanied  with  a  Hinging  motion  of  the  hand, 
as  though  they  jerked  "  Away  I  away  !  " 

The  chief  'A- as  styled  Alwani.  They  wore  much 
polished  ironwork,  rings,  bells,  and  anklets,  and  appeared 
to  be  [)artial  to  many  leglets  made  of  calamus  tibi-e,  and 
arnrlets  of  the  same  material,  after  the  numner  oi 
Karagwe  and  llhha.  They  cultivate  nuiize,  beans, 
plantains,  and  bananas.  toba(;co,  sweet  potatoes,  yams, 
brinjalls.  melons,  gourds.  Theii"  goats  are  tine,  and  of 
good  size.      Fowls  ai'e  plentiful.  l>ut  fresh  eggs  are  rare. 

Among  sonu^  of  these  villages  tliere  is  generally  a 
dome  hut  of  ample  size,  after  the  manner  of  L'nyoro, 
with  double  porches. 


o 


lyui'u, 


1  I 

!  '       i 


il  i 


THE   FUi'.ST    VILl.Aill':    OF   ItWAllFS. 


2(11 


Tlie  followiii.ij,  (lay  we  lialted,  (luriiiir  wliich  tlic  Maii- 
vuoimi  gui«lL's  took  pai'ticular  care  to  sliovv  our  pcojde 
that  they  should  liave  no  doultt  of  tlieir  conteinpt  for 
them.  They  would  not  aUow  them  to  trach'  witli  the 
natives  for  fear  some  desirahle  ai'tich'  wouhl  l»e  h)st  to 
themselves,  they  also  vociferated  at  them  loudlv  if  they 
were  seen  proceedin_i;'  to  the  clearing;'  to  <-ut  nlaiitains. 
As  1  told  them,  they  did  not  advance  in  tlieir  favour  in 
the  least  by  al)an<lonin,o-  the  whites,  and  turning  a  deaf 
ear  to  our  adjurations  t(>  he  manly  and  faithful.  A 
word,  or  even  a  defiant  look,  was  visited  with  a  sharp 
cut  on  the  naked  hody  with  a  rattan  from  slave  l>o\'s  of 
the  six  Manyuema  guides  with  us.  What  awful  oaths  of 
ven^u'eance  were  uttered  for  all  these  indiuiiities  they 
suffered  ! 

On  the  '^stwe  came  across  the  fii'st  village  of  Dwarfs, 
and,  durin<;'  the  (hiy,  across  several  em[)ty  settlements 
l)elon<>injT  to  them.  We  marched  nine  miles  in  five  and 
a  (juai'ter  hours,  and  camped  in  a  dwarfs  \illage  in  the 
woods. 

Stealing'  continued  steadily.  On  examining'  the 
])ouches,  there  was  one  cartridge  out  of  three  pouches 
The  carti'id,ues  were  lost,  of  course  !  Hilallah,  a  l)oy  of 
sixteen,  deserted  hack  to  Ipoto  with  my  cartridge  pouch, 
and  thirty  cartridges  in  it.  A  man  who  carried  my 
satchel  ran  away  with  seventy-five  Winchester  car- 
tridges. 

The  next  day  we  entered  the  extensive  clearing  and 
large  settlement  of  Mandtungu's  or  Nehasse. 

Kliamis,  the  chief  of  the  guides,  left  Ipoto  on 
the  .'^Ist,  and  arrived  at  this  place  with  seven  men, 
according  to  agreement  with  Ismaili,  my  Manyuema 
brother. 

The  track  which  we  followed  has  enabled  us  to 
increase  our  rate  of  progress  per  hour.  Along  the  river 
bank,  by  dint  of  continued  work,  and  devoting  seven, 
eight,  nine  hours — sometimes  ten  hours — we  could 
travel  from  ."3  to  7  miles.  We  were  now  enabled  to 
make  \\  to  li,  and  even  '1  miles  per  hour  :  but  the 
pace   was   still    retarded    l)y    roots,    stumps,    clind)ers, 


Oct.  :i(». 
Uusiiuli. 


I 


!iil^ 


'i    I  ■'  !; 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


_  ^  1^ 

■^  1^    12.2 


■30 


^   1^    12.0 

■MUb 


II 


1.4 


1.6 


v} 


Va 


/ 


4/W  ^  ? 


Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


33  WEST  MAIN  !>TREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  M5S0 

(716)  873-4503 


« 


»" 


V 


:\ 


iV 


\ 


A 


& 


% 


2()2 


/.V   DAllKKST  Al'incA. 


I  I 


M   ' 


'<  I! 


1 


1HH7. 
Nov.  1. 

Mam- 
bungii's. 


•     tl 


ill 


m  t 


11 


WUIOS, 


'onvolvuli,     skowcrs,     jiimI     a     iiiultitude     of 


strcniiis,    }iii<l    utcch-scuiiuiumI   sinks 


W 


0    coll 


M 


nirelv 


{)r(»c('iMl  H  clear   lnm«lrc(l   yards  without    bciiii!;  <H'<l(M-tMl 
to  lialt  l)y  the  pioneers. 

I'^ach  (hiy  towards  evening''  the  clouds  oathered,  the 
thunder  reverberated  with  awful  scaiiids  through  the 
echoinir    forest  ;    lii'htnint''   darted    hither   an<l    thither, 


daily  severinu'  some  tree-to[).  or  splitting-  a  mighty 
patriarch  from  crown  to  hase,  or  Masting-  some  stately 
and  kiiiiilv  tree  :  and  the  rain  fell  with  a  di'ownini; 
plenty  which  chillecl  and  depressed  us  greatly  in  our 
poor  Idooded  and  ameniic  state,     lint  during-  the  march. 


rovidence  was   nracious 


tl 


le  sun  snone.  anc 


dst 


reame< 


1 


in  milli(>n  heains  of  soft  liuht  tlirouuh  the  woods,  which 


briirhtened    our    feelin 


!J'S. 


d 


UKl    causec 


1    tl 


le    aisles 


aiK 


corridors  of  the  woods  to  be  of  Divine  beauty,  converted 
the  iji'aceful  thin  tree-shafts  into  marbly-orey  pillars, 
and  the  dew  and  rain-tlrops  into  sparkling'  brilliants  ; 
cheered  the  invisible  birds  to  piair  out,  with  spirit,  their 
varied  re])ertory  of  sonys  ;  inspired  j)arrot  tlocks  to  vent 
^{.•leeful  sci-eanis  and  whistliniis ;  roused  hosts  of 
monkeys  to  e.xert  their  wihlest  antics  ;  while  now  and 
then  some  deep,  bass  roar  in  far-away  recesses  indicated 
a  familv  of  sokit  or  chimpanzees  eniovinu'  some  savage 
Hport. 

The  road  fi'om  .\;ambunnu's,  eastward,  was  full  of  toi- 
ments.  fears,  and  anxieties.      Never  were  such  a  series  of 


d 


clearin<r.s  as  tliose  aroiinc 


til 


d  M 


imhunuu,  aiK 


Itl 


le  neii'lihoui 


lib 


inti;  settlement  of  Nialis.  The  trees  were  of  the  larii'est 
size,  and  timber  eiioiiu'li  had  been  cut  to  build  a  navy  ; 
and  these  lay.  in  all  imauinable  <'onfusion.  tree  upon  tree, 
loM-  above  lou,-.  branches  risini^'  in  hills  above  hills  ;  and 
amongst  all  this  wild  ruin  of  woods  yrew  in  profusion 
upon  j)rofusioii  bananas,  jilantains,  vines,  parasites  : 
ivy-like  })laiits,  ])alins.  calamus,  convolvuli,  etc.,  thi'ouiih 
which  the  poor  column  had  to  burrow,  strun'iile,  and 
sweat,  while  creepini:;,  crawliiiLi',  and  climbino",  in, 
through,  and  over  (jbstacles  and  entanglements  that 
batlle  description. 

On    llie    4th    November    we    were    Wi    miles    from 


"     ;» 


M(H,'MX(i    IS    lilir.AMNd. 


2(»;i 


^ram}>nn<iu's  in  tlie  settlement  of  Ndugnhisha.  iiavini;- 
passed,  in  tlie  interval,  tliron^h  five  desei'tecl  toi'est 
villa'^cs  of  piuniies.  On  this  day  1  came  near  smiling' — 
for  I  fancied  i  observed  the  dawn  of  happiei"  days  fore- 
told 1)V  riedi,  Kacli  mend)ei'  of  tlie  caravan  received 
one  ear  of  corn,  and  IT)  [)lantains  as  rations. 

Fifteen  plantains  and  one  eai-  of  coi-n  make  a  royal 
ration  compared  to  two  ears  of  corn,  or  a  handful  of 
iierries,  or  a  dozen  fun<i;us.  It  was  not  calculated,  how- 
ever, to  make  men  too  cheerful,  though  our  people  were 
naturally  light-hearted  and  gay. 


But 


never  mim 


I,  mv  hovs,"  I   said,  as    1    doled  l!ie 


spare  diet  to  the  hungry  creatures  ;  "  the  morning  is 
breaking  ;  a  week  more,  and  then  you  shall  see  the  end 
of  vour  troubles." 


\  erbal  replv  was  not  uiven  t< 


o  me  ;  onlv  a  wan  snule 


liiihtened   the   famine-sharpened  features.      Our  officers 


ha.l   1 


(or 


ne   these   piivations  with  the  spn-it   ascri 


th  th 


ibed   1 


y 


Ctesar  to  Antony,  and  as  well  as  though  they  were  to 
the  manner  liorn.  They  fed  on  the  flat  wood  beans  of  the 
forest,  on  the  acid  wild  fruit  and  strange  fungus,  with  the 
smilinii"  content  of  Svbarites  at  a  feast.  Vet  <nie  of  them 
paid  i*  1 ,000  for  this  pool-  [)rivilege,  and  came  near  being 
thought  too  daintv  for  roui>h  African  life.  Thev  had 
been  a  living  example  to  oui'  daik  followers,  many  of 
whom  had  i)robaltlv  been  encouraued  to  strive  for 
existence  by  the  bright,  hopeful  htoks  our  officers  wore 
under  our  many  unhappy  afflictions. 

On  the  followinii"  dav  we  crossed  the  watershed 
between  the  Ihuru  and  Ituri  rivei's,  and  we  now 
plunged  into  cool  stivams  flowing  to  leftward,  or  towards 


the 


II 


niru.      Hills   rose   to  the  riyht  and  left  in  woode(l 


cones  and  I'idgv  mounts,  and  aftei'  a  march  of  nine  ant{ 
three-(|uartcr  miles,  we  halted  for  the  night  at  West 
fndekaru,  at  the  base  of  a  hill  whose  toj)  rose  (lOO  feet 
above  the  village.  Another  short  nuncli  biought  us  to 
a  village  pei'cli(>d  half-wjiy  uj)  a  tall  mount,  which  may 
be  desijinated  as  Kast  Indekaru.and  bv  aneroid  we  were 
4,0i)7  feet  above  the  ocean.  From  this  village  \\v 
enjoyed  a   first  view  of  our  surroundings.      Instead  of 


1HH7. 
N.iv.  4. 

Niiugii- 

bisha. 


tTp|,    I  I 


til 


'  f ,  i 


V 


^f 

0 


I, 


I' 


15  1 


i-i      I 


I 


264 


IN  DARKEST  AFIilCA. 


1887.     (TiiwliiiL!;  like  niitility  hipt'«ls  in  the  twiliolit,  .*{0  ftitlioms 
l)el<)\v  tlic  level  of  the  white  li«i;lit  of  the  day,  compelled 


Nov 
iiiiiuk.'tni. 


to  re('o<riiize  our  littleness,  hv  comparison  \vi 


ith  tl 


le  tfiant 


coliimiis  and  tall  pillai-like  shafts  that  rose  by  millions 
around  us,  we  n<>w  stood  on  the  crest  of  a  cleared  mount, 
to  look  u[)oii  the  leafy  world  helow  us.  One  almost 
felb  as  if  walking'  over  the  rollino-  plain  of  leafa<i;e  was 
possible,  so  compact  and  unbroken  was  the  (\\j)anse, 
cxteiidinji;  to  a  lovely  pale  blueness  as  the  eyesight 
followed  it  to  the,  furthest  limits  of  distinctness — away, 

brest  tops  spreac 


ar  awav  to  an  unknown  ( 


bsti 


nice 


the  t 


1 


round  about  a  variegated  ^reeii  of  plushy  texture,  broad 
red  patches  of  tree  Howeriii^-,  and  rich  russety  cii-cles  of 
leaves,  not  uiifre(pieiit.  J  low  one  envied  the  smooth, 
easy  f1i<i;lit  of  the  kites  and  white-collared  eaules,  sailin,«,r 
g?*a(;efully  without  let  or  hindrance  throuuh  the  calm 
atmosphere  I  Ah  !  that  we  had  the  wiii^s  of  kites,  that 
we  miii'lit  tlv  and  be  at  rest  from  these  incorriiiiblv 
wicked  Manvuema  !      Whose  wish  was  that  ?      indeed,  I 


think  we  all  of  us  shared  it,  more  or  le 


ss. 


On    the    7th,    while  we    halted    on    the 


moun 


t,    tl 


le 


Manvuema  nioiiopolizimr  the  villai»e,  and  our  men  in  the 
bush,  unworthy  to  be  near  their  nobility,  there  was  a 
little  storm  between  Saat  Tato  (Three  o'clock),  the 
liunter,  and  Khaniis,  the  chief  of  the  Manyuema  ouidos. 
Jt  threatened,  from  the  sound  of  words,  to  ex[)lode  hurt- 
fully  at  one  time.  Khaniis  sla[)ped  him  in  the  face. 
Both  were  tall  men.  but  Saat  Tato  was  two  inches  taller, 
a  o-ood  soldier,  who  had  seen  service  in  Machiuascar  and 
with  Sultan  Har^hash  as  a  ser<>eant.  but  who.  from  his 
liabits  (.r  oettiiiL"'  drunk  by  the  third  hour  of  each  (hiy. 
was  nicknamed  "  Tiiree  o'clock,"  and  dismissed.  lie  was 
an  excellent  man.  faithful,  strong',  obedient,  and  an 
unerring-  shot.  ( Jiven  the  benefits  of  twenty-five  pounds 
of  food.  Saat  Tato.  at  a  hint,  would  have  smilingly  taken 
'.lold  of  Kliamis.  and  snapju'd  !iis  vertebra.'  across  his 
knee  with  the  case  that  he  would  have  broken  a  spear 
Htaff.  I  ol>served  Saat  Tato  closely,  for  it  must  be 
remembered  that  it  lia.d  Imm-oiuc  fully  im])ressed  on  my 
mind  that  my  men  were  (juite  too  l)roken-spirited.     Saat 


SAAT   TATO   AND   KIIAMIS. 


2(;." 


had     heeii     cooled    hv    the    ciiU'ltA' 


pe 


rverseiR'ss,    am 


nii;<>ardliiicss  of  the  Manyuenia.      All  we  had  to  do  was 
to  watch  it,  hear  patiently,  an<l  he  ready. 

To  our  u^reat  <-oinfort    Khaniis   coufess(Ml    that    West 


Iiidel' 


karu   was  the  Jitniost   limit  of  his  mastei'   Isniaili' 


territory 


We,  however,  were  not  to  part  from  liim   until  we 


reacliei 


1  11 


•win. 


W 


e  mar 


chcd  eleven  miles  on   the   8th   of  Novemhei' 


th 


u-ouoh  a  much  more  o})en  torest.  and  we  could  see  further 
into  the  interior.  The  road  was  hettei'.  so  much  so  that 
our  rate  of  marchin^u'  increased   to   two   miles  per  hour, 


Th 


le   2^rittv   and  loamv    soil  had  ahsorhecl   the  rain,  and 


wi 


ilkmjnr    hecame    })leasant. 


T 


le    liianes    were    not    so 


riotously  alauuhmt,  oidy  a  strong  ciceju'r  now  and  then 
ie(piiring  sevei-ance.  At  several  places  there  were 
granite  outcroppiniis  of  a  colossal  size,  which  weic  a 
novelty  «ind  added  a  kind  of  romantic  and  [)ictures(|ue 
interest  to  the  woo(ls.  darkly  suu-uesti\'e  (»f  ^itanos. 
handits,  or  piumies. 

A   uiarch   of   nint'    and    a    half   miles  on   the    Dtli    of 


N. 


ovend)er  took  us  to  a 


Piu'ii 


ues  cami). 


I'ntil 


noon  a 


mist  had  hunn-  over  the  land.  Towards  the  latter 
part  of  the  tramp  we  passed  thi'ouiih  seveial  lately 
deserted  vilhiiies  of  the  dwarfs,  and  across  eiuht  streams. 


Imii'kani. 


Tato  looked  at  him  a  second   severely  ;  then.  liftiuLT  his      i887 
f()refin<iei',  said  to  Khamis.  "  it  is  well,  hut  1  should  like    ^"^' 
to  see   vou  repeat  that  hlow  a  little  time  hence,  after   I 
have  a  little  food  in  me,  and  filled  this  stomach  of  mine. 
Strike  me  a^jjain,  do  ;  I  <'an  hear  it." 

Advancinii",  and  touching'  Khamis  on  the  shoulder.  I 
said.  "  Khamis,  do  not  <lo  that  ayain.  I  <lo  not  allow 
even  my  officers  to  strike  my  men  like  that.' 

The  ill-humour  was  inci'easinu',  and,  little  as  the 
]\Ianyuema  imaiiined,  they  were  assisting  nu'  to  rest(tre 
the  spirit  of  the  Zan/iharis  liy  their  cruelty.  There 
were  signs  that  the  Christians  would  prevail  after  all. 
The  nuitual  affe<-tion  ex})ressed  between  the  Moslem  co- 
reliiiionists  at  the  altar  of  whi<*h  our  men  were  readv  to 
sacrifice   our  lives   and   liherties  and  their  own  freedom. 


I 


i       is 


'-i 


!NI 


I   » 


ffl 


|l    '''"  'I, 
1^ 


kiili' 


1  ^ 

1 

1  j 

' 

i  1 1 

i 


1 1 


:i; 


irti 


^(iil 


in 


1 


1887. 
Nov.  '.•. 

Indekaru. 


ill 


2(1(1 


IX  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


Kliiiniis,  tlie  <:;ui(le,  and  liis  foUovveis.  and  aliout  lialf- 
a-dozen  of  tlie  j)i()neers  proceeded  to  Ihwiri,  wliicli  was 
onlv  (Jiio  and  a  half  mile  distant,  and  on  the  next  dav 
we  joined  them.  This  was  one  of  the  richest  and  finest 
clearings  wc  had  seen  since  leavini*'  Yand>uya,  thonoh 
had  the  Ivxpedition  been  d  spatched  eight  months  earlier, 
we  shouhl  have  found  s( ores  in  the  same  pros])erous 
condition.  Here  was  a  clearing  three  miles  in  diameter 
abounding  in  native  produce,  and  hitherto  unvisited  by 
the  iManyuema.  Almost  every  plantain  stalk  bore  an 
enormous  branch  of  fruit,  w'ith  from  fifty  to  one  hundred 
and  forty  plantains  attached.  Some  specimens  of  this 
fruit  were  twenty-two  inches  long,  two  and  a  half  inches 
in  diameter,  and  nearly  eight  inches  round,  hirge  enough 
to  furnish  Saat  Tato  the  hunter,  with  his  long  desired 
full  meal.  There  was  an  odour  of  ri[)e  fruit  pervading 
the  air.  and  as  we  climbed  over  the  logs  and  felt  our 
way  gingerly  al(»ng  the  prostrate  timber,  I  was  often 
asked  by  the  delighted  jieople  to  note  the  bunches  of 
mellow  fruit  hanging  temptingly  before  their  eyes. 

Before  reacliing  the  village  AJurabo,  a  Zan/ibari  head- 
man, whispered  to  me  that  there  were  five  villages  in 
Ibwiri,  and  that  each  hut  in  every  village  was  more  than 
a  fourth  full  of  Indian  corn,  but  that  Khamis  and  his 
Manyuema  had  been  storing  corn  in  their  own  huts, 
which,  according  to  right  of  preemption,  they  had 
reserved  for  themselves. 

On  entering  the  street  of  the  viHage,  Kliamis  met  me 
with  the  usual  complaints  about  the  wickedness  of  the 
"  vile  Zanzibaris."  Looking  down  on  the  ground  I  saw 
many  a  trail  of  c(>rn  which  went  to  c(>rroborate  Murabo's 
story,  and  as  Khamis  proposed  that  the  Expedition  should 
occupy  the  western  half  of  the  village,  and  he  and  his 
fifteen  Manyuema  would  occupy  the  eastern  half,  1 
ventured  to  dennu'  to  the  proposition  on  the  ground 
that  as  we  had  departed  out  of  his  masters  teri'itoi'v  we 
claimed  all  the  land  to  the  eastward,  and  would  in 
future  dispense  with  any  suggestion  as  to  what  we 
should  do.  and  that  furthermoi'e  not  a  grain  of  corn, 
nor  plantain,  ban  ina,  or  any  other  native  product  in  the 


■||^   . 


KIIAMI^   AND    THE  ZAX/IJiAJUS. 


2<;; 


land  would  leave  the  coiuitrv  without  mv  ])ennissi()n. 
lie  was  told,  no  people  on  earth  could  have  home  so 
unconiplaininuiy  such  shames,  atiVonis.  a!id  insults  as  had 
ltee)i  put  upon  the  Zanzihaiis,  and  that  in  future  they 
should  he  permitted  to  resent  all  such  injuries  as  they  best 
knew  how.      Khaniis  assented  suhmissively  to  all  this. 

The  first  thing  after  storing  gcxxls,  i\v\  distributing 
the  men  to  their  (piarters,  was  to  give  fift\  ears  of  corn 
per  man,  and  to  arrange  with  the  natives  as  to  our  future 
conduct  towards  one  another. 

Within  an  hour  it  was  agreed  that  the  western  half  of 
the  iltwiri  clearing  should  he  granted  to  us  for  foraging  ; 
tiiat  the  eastern  half,  from  a  certain  stream,  should  he 
the  reserve  of  the  natives.  Kliamis,  the  Manyuema.  was 
also  induced  to  enter  into  the  pact.  In  return  for  a 
packet  of  brass  rods,  Boryo,  the  principal  chief  of  the 
iialesse  of  the  district,  presented  us  with  five  fowls  and 
a  goat. 

This  was  a  great  da  v.  Since  Auuust  .'^st  not  one 
follower  of  the  Expedition  had  enjoyed  a  full  meal,  but 
now  bananas.  2)lantains  ripe  and  green,  potatoes,  herbs, 
yams,  beans,  sugar-cane,  corn,  melons  in  such  (juantities 
were  i;iven  them  that  were  tliev  so  manv  elephants  thev 
c()uld  not  have  exhausted  the  stock  pr(>vided  for  them  in 
less  than  ten  days.  They  could  gratify  to  the  full  the 
appetite  so  long  stinted  and  starved. 

As  we  were  compelled  to  wait  for  Mr.  Jephson  and  some 
sixtv  Zanzibaris  -  fortv  of  the  relief  ])artv,  boat's  crew, 
and  convalescents  from  Ipoto—  the  good  effect  of  this 
abundance  would  be  visible  in  a  few  days.  It  was  also 
one  of  those  settlements  we  had  been  anxiously  searching 
for  as  a  recuj)erating  station.  On  this  date  the  men 
were  hideous  to  look  upon,  because  of  their  gaunt  naked- 
ness. They  were  naked,  for  they  had  sti'ipped  them- 
selves to  obtain  food  from  the  slaves  of  the  Manyuema  at 
rgarrowwa's  and  Ipoto  ;  of  flesh  they  had  none,  for  they 
had  been  reduced  to  bones  by  seventy-three  days  of 
famine  and  thirteen  days  of  absolute  want  ;  of  strength 
thev  had  but  little,  and  thev  were  ill-favoured  in  every 
respect  ;   theii"    native    cohmr    of   oiled  bronze  hud  be- 


1HH7. 
Nov.  M. 

Ibwiri. 


f!( 


i 


■,  ^1 


i 


■   '      i  > 


II 


2<;8 


IN  DAIiKEST  A  Fine  A. 


\y\ 


i 


Ibwiri. 


•  :;  i: 


i«87.  conic  u  mixture  of  ^liiny  Mack  and  wood  ashes;  their 
N"v.  i<».  ,.,,||ijjj,.  ,,^.^.^  })eti'avc(l  sions  of  disease,  iinpiire  Mood,  and 
indurated  livers;  tiiat  licautiful  contour  of  hody,  an«l 
•graceful  antl  delicati'  outlines  (jf  muscles—  alas,  ahifl  ! — 
were  all  j»<>Uti.  Thev  more  hefitted  a  chaincl-house 
than  a  camp  of  men  hound  to  continually  wear  fightinu^ 
accoiifn'meiits. 

Ivhamis,  the  Manyuema  ^uide,  otiere<l  the  next  morninuf 
to  [)i'oceed  east  to  search  out  the  road  from  Ihwiri,  f«»r, 
as  he  infoiinecl  me,  liorvo,  the  chief.  Iwul  told  him  of  a 
•^rassdand  Immui:;  not  niany  days  oH".  lie  thouiiht  that 
with  a  few  of  i^oryo's  natives,  and  thirty  of  our  riflemen, 
he  couM  disc()ver  somethinu'  of  interest.  ('allin<;  Borvo 
to  me,  he  contii'me(l.  as  well  as  we  could  understand  him, 
that  from  a  place  called  Maude,  which  he  said  was  only 
two  (lavs'  <»()()d  marchiim' — ^sav  fortv  miles — the  jirass- 
land  could  he  seen  ;  that  her«ls  of  cattle  came  in  such 
numhi'rs  to  the  Ituri  river  to  drink  that  the  river 
"  swelled  up."  All  this  chimed  with  my  eaoer  desire  to 
know  how  far  we  were  from  the  o[)en  country,  and  as 
Jiorvo  said  he  was  willinu'  to  furnish  guides,  I  <'alled  for 
volunteers.  'rwentv-ei«»ht  men  <'ame  forward,  to  mv 
sui'prise,  as  willing'  and  as  e.i^ei-  for  new  adventures  as 
thouii'li  tliev  had  heen  revellii?!''  in  plentv  for  the  last  few 
months.      Khamis  and  his  ])arty  de|)arted  shortly  after. 

I)es|)ite  strict  prohihition  to  touch  anythin<;-  on  the 
native  ivservation  of  Ihwiri,  one  of  our  raiders  [)aid  it  a 
visit,  and  cui)tured  nineteen  fowls,  two  of  which  he  had 
already  des[)atche(l,  the  romaininuj  seventeen  he  had 
decapitated,  hut  our  detectives  pounccil  u|)()n  him  and 
his  stock,  as  he  and  his  chum  were  dehatinu'  what  thev 
should  do  with  the  feathers.  The  flesh  and  hones  did 
not  promise  to  he  any  tiouMe  to  them.  Close  hy  them 
two  mi'n  had  despatched  an  entire  ^oat.  cxce|)tinj4'  the 
head  I  These  facts  serve  ro  illustrate  the  boundless 
caj)acity  of  Zanziltari  st(»machs. 

The  natives  of  ihwiri  had  hchaved  most  handsomely, 
and  ])ersonally  I  felt  a  sense  of  shame  at  the  inoTatitutle 
of  my  followei's.  The  chief  and  his  family  were  livini;; 
with  us,  and  exchanued  their  iiroetiiiiis  of  "  Bodo,  Bodo, 


!i 


{1 


THE  y A  Tines  itF  inwini. 


2<;{) 


nlt'inlji.  iilcnda,"  li;ilt"-a-«l«>z('ii  times  a  dny.  Vet  our  nuMi 
lijul  uii(l('r<;()n('  sndi  cxtrcnu's  of"  wrctclKMliu'ss  (liuiii*^ 
the  last  two  and  a  half  inoiitlis  that  we  iiiiii'lit  liavc  well 
aiitiripatcd  sonic  cxccsst's  would  l»(>  (•(mnuittcMJ  iipoii  the 
first  ()}>|)<)rtiniity.  N<»  other  hody  ot"  men  in  tlie  wide 
world  that  I  am  aecpiainted  with  could  have  liorne  such 
a  period  ot"  hunger  so  meeklv.  so  rcsiunetllv.  Not  a 
urain  or  a  hit  of  liuman  food  discoverable  anvwherc, 
llieii'  comi'ades  dyinu^  at  every  camp,  or  falling'  <lead 
al(>n<i[  the  track,  <»thers  less  j»atient  plunuinn'  into  the 
depths  of  the  wildeiness  maddened  l>y  hunncr.  leavinijj 
them  to  faro  as  they  mi,<;ht  under  the  landens  of  war- 
munilions,  and  hau'iiauc  (Joadcd  l»y  the  pi'otra<'te(| 
hun,iier.  and  tiei'ce  d"spair.  and  loss  of  trust  in  theiv 
oftii'crs,  they  mi^ht  have  seizecl  their  I'emin^u'tons  and, 
l»y  one  volley  have  slain  their  white  (  hiefs,  and  fed  on 
them,  and  shaken  ()H"  power,  and,  in  a  moment,  the  clutch 
of  authoritv  which,  so  far  as  thev  knew,  was  onlv  dia<>- 
nini:;  them  (h)wn  to  certain  doom. 

While  I  pitied  the  natives  who  had  h>st  their  pro])erty 
wlien  they  least  deserved  it.  I  could  not  remove  from  my 
memory  that  extended  fast  in  the  area  (yf  desolation  and 
forest  wilderness  stret<*hini''  l)etween  the  liaH>po  IJapids 
ami  Ihwiri,  on  the  edf»e  of  which  we  were  even  now 
located,  or  their  patient  obedience — thefts  and  small 
pra<'tices  notwithstandin*;-,  their  unfalterinoj  iidelity, 
their  kindness  to  us  while  we  were  starving,  in  he- 
stowinf"^  upon  us  the  choicest  and  finest  of  the  wild 
fruit  they  had  discovered,  and  their  alto,L!;ether  courageous 
hearing^  and  nol>le  hopefulnes.s  durinij;  the  terrible  days 
of  adversity  ;  all  these  virtues  nuist  needs  extenuate 
their  offences,  and  it  was  l)est  to  Jiwait  fulness  and  reHec- 
tion  toassist  us  in  reclaimiiii;  them  into  traetahleness  and 
o;ood  order.  Every  mile  or  two  almost  of  that  hunfjjry 
forest  solitude  between  the  Iliuru  an«l  Ituri  confluence 
and  Ipoto  hud  been  marked  by  the  dead  bodies  of  their 
comrades  ;  there  they  lay  fast  mildewinu'  and  rottinuj  in 
the  silent  jjjhxmi,  and,  but  for  the  fidelity  of  the  survivors, 
none  of  those  capable  of  <iivin<i;  intelli<»ent  testimony  of 
the  stern  trials  endured  durino-  September,  October^  and 


1HH7. 

Nov.  10. 
Ibwiri. 


■•w  m- 


1" 


.Lpjliiii.^] 


11   !. 


II I . 


i^ 


270 


AV   DAHKKST  AFIll<'A. 


ill  I'i  1 


;:i 


rjlj 


Nov.  10. 
Ibwiri. 


tlic  half  of  Novcnilx'i',  would  liavt'  livccl  to  relate  the  sad 
arwl  rtuiTctwful  details. 

The  more  experience  and  insight  I  olitain  int(>  linnian 
natin-e,  the  nioie  (•f)nvm('e<l  do  J  become  that  the  i^reatei- 
|)ortion  of  a  man  is  pnrely  animal.  Fnlly  and  re^^nlarly 
fed,  he  is  a  ltein_n'  capahle  of  l)ein<j:  ffmxed  oi-  coerced  to 
exertion  of  any  kind,  love  and  fear  sway  Kim  easily,  he 
is  not  averse  tolahonr  however  severe  ;  l»nt  whenstai'ved 
it  is  well  to  keep  in  mind  the  motto  "Cave  Canem,"  for 
a  starving  lion  over  a  raw  morsel  of  heef  is  not  so 
ferocions  <ir  so  icady  to  tak(^  ofl'ence.  Hi^id  discipline, 
(hiily  hnrdens,  and  endless  marchin<;'  into  re,uions  of 
which  they  were  perfectly  i^inorant,  ne\er  seemed  to  ;^all 
oni'  men  mncli  when  their  stomachs  were  pampered,  and 
altundant  provender  for  their  digestive  or«.ians  were 
provided  ;  hut  even  han<;in^'  unto  death  was  only  a 
temporary  (lam})er  to  their  inclination  to  excessive  mis- 
chief when  pinched  with  huniier.  The  ahoriu'ines  also  of 
ihwiri  surrounded  by  plenty  are  mild  and  meek  enou<;h 
throu<i,h  pure  sleekness,  hut  the  dwai'tish  nomads  of  the 
forest  are,  I  am  told,  as  fierce  as  beasts  of  prey,  and 
fi<;ht  till  their  (piivers  are  empty. 

1  received  W(U'd  on  the  12th  that  Khamis,  the 
JVlanyuema  who  was  supposed  to  have  <i;one  for  my 
^ratificatioji  to  explore  the  country  ahead,  and  to  make 
friends  with  the  aid  of  the  natives,  had,  owing  to 
perverseness,  been  unable  to  accomplish  his  mission  ; 
that  he  was  greatly  disappointed,  and  that  he  had  ])een 
attacked  bv  the  natives  of  East  Ibwiri  and  had  lost  two 
men.    1  sent  word  to  him  to  return. 

The  fleas  of  Ibwiri  became  so  intolerable  that  in  order 
to  obtain  i-est,  1  had  to  set  my  tent  in  the  open  street. 

On  the  \'M\\  of  Noveml)er,  while  taking  an  inspection 
of  the  village  camp,  and  examining  into  the  conditi(m  of 
the  men,  1  was  amazed  at  the  busy  scene  of  eating  I 
beheld.  Almost  every  man  w'as  engaged  in  pounding 
corn,  reducing  (h'ied  bananas  into  flour,  or  grinding 
niouthfuls  of  food  with  their  fine  teeth,  making  amends 
for  the  compulsory  fast  of  September,  ()cto])er  and 
November. 


Hil^^ 


h'/LlMlS    AXJt    ClIIKI''   liUltYO. 


li7L 


Klianiis   rctunitMl  on   tlu'    I4tli   willi  a   V.wm'  tlock   of 


n'oats    ohtaiiitM 


tVom 


soiiicwlicr*' 


II 


«'    was     iiracioiis 


oiiouiili  to  allow  us  sixtcui  head.  Tins  iiicliiKMJ  us  t<> 
suspect  tiiat  tlio  ival  ohject  of"  liis  (lesion  was  not  to 
e.\[)lore  l)Ut  to  extend  the  coiKiuesrs  of  liis  master.  Isniaili, 


tartiier  e 


ast   til 


irouiih   <»ni-  assistance,  and   to  reduce   the 


natives  of  Iljwiri  into  the  same  state  of  jxtverty  as  the 
nei^^hixturhood  of  I))oto,  for  instance.  I)Ut  though 
Kliamis  possessed  force  sutHcient  to  have  accomplished 
even  this  last,  the  silly  fellow's  oreeil  caused  him  to 
Itehave  with  such  reckless  disre<2,ard  of  the  poisoned 
shafts  of  the  natives  that  he  lost  three  of  his  men.  It 
seems  that  as  soon  as  a  flock  of  Li'oats  was  sighted, 
Khamis  for«^'ot  hisdesit;'n  to  explore,  uru'ed  his  .Manyuema 
to  their  caj)ture,  and  i-etained  our  people  l»y  him.  (hir 
men  by  these  tactics  returned  uninjured  witlntut  havini; 
heen  eniiaiicd  in  this  disui-aceful  action.  TIkmi.  as 
Khamis  was  returning'  to  our  villaue.  mourning-  the  loss 
of  three  of  liis  most  active  comrades,  he  suddenly  met 
Horvo,  the  Cliief  of   Kast   Ihwiri.  and   without   a   word 


niJM 


le  1 


um  a 


pr 


isoner. 


Bef 


ore  reporting'  to  me.  Khami 


on  arrival,  ordered  his  men  to  stran,ule  the  chief  in 
revenue  for  the  death  of  his  men.  Jlajjpenini;'  to  hear 
of  it,  1  sent  a  ouard  to  take  him  by  force  out  of  Khamis' 
hands,  and  placed  him  in  a  hut  out  of  harm's  way,  and 
hade  Boryo  rest  ((uiet  until  Khamis  Iwul  departed. 

We  luxuriated  durin,L»'  our  (hiys  of  rest.  There  liad 
been  discovered  such  an  abundance  of  food  that  we 
might  safely  have  rested  six  months  without  feai-  of 
>tarving.     We  enjoyed  ri})e  plantains  matle  into  pud<lin 


ll'S 


with  goats'  milk  ;  fritter>,  patties  and  ])read.  sweet 
potatoes,  manioe,  yams,  herbs,  fowls  and  goat  meat 
without  stint.  On  the  evening  of  this  dav  the  incna 
for  dinner  was — 


Kid  soup. 

Roast  le|j;  of  kid,  and  baked  sweet  potatoes. 

Boiled  sweet  manioc. 

Fried  l)ananas. 

Sweet  cake  of  ripe  i)lantain. 

Plantain  fritters. 

Goats'  milk. 


1HS7. 
Nov.  14. 

llnviri, 


■  s 


14 


hwin. 


!ii 


h;  ! 


272 


IX   I>  AUK  EST  AFllK'A. 


1887.  Ali'Cfidy  I  iiotcil  11  cliaiinc   in   the  Ji|t|»('jii'iiii(«'  of  our- 


SClNOS    MIX 


I    lull 


owcrs. 


Tl 


icic   wns  cci 


taiiil 


V  inoic  noise, 


1-,  hut 


as 


and  oner  or  twice  I  heard  an  attempt  at  siii<;iii 

there   was  a   well    rerownised   Haw   in    the   voice,  it   was 

postponed  to  another  dav. 

At  ."{  I'.M.  of  the  Kith  Mr.  .Ie|)hsoi,  appeared,  havin<»" 
]>ert'orine(l  his  mission  of  relief  most  lnilliantly.  As 
will  he  seen  hy  Mr.  .lej)hson's  letter  descri[>tive  of 
his  siic<'ess,  he  had  heeii  ahle  to  pro<*eetl  to  the  relief  of 
('a]>tain  Nelson,  and  to  return  with  him  to  ipoto  within 
seven  days,  after  a  journev  of  ahout  a  hundretl  miles. 
.Iiid<iiim  from  Captain  Nelson's  letter,  he  seeme<l  to  have 
been  delivered  out  of  his  terrihie  position  to  fall  into  a 
similar  des[)erate  strait  in  the  midst  of  tin;  plenty  of  ipoto. 

The  next  day  Khamis  and  his  Manyuema  returned 
homeward  without  takin<;'  leave.  I  despatched  a  letter 
to  the  ofHcers  at  Ipoto,  sent  Khamis'  ivory  and  a  })i'esent 
of  elorh  with  it  to  Indekaiu,  whence  the  Manvuemu 
miuhtlte  ahle  to  ohtain  assistance  from  their  own  natives. 
1  was  never  so  dissatisfied  with  myself  as  when  I  was 
<-ompelled  to  treat  these  men  thus  so  kindly,  and  to 
allow  them  to  depart  without  even  the  small  satisfaction 
(»f  expressing;'  my  private  opinion  of  Manyuema  in  (general 
and  of  the  <;an<i;  at  Ipoto  in  particular.  At  all  points  1 
was  worsted  ;  they  c()m[)elled  a  generous  treatment  from 
me,  and  finally  trap})ed  me  into  the  ohligation  of  being 


the 


earner  of  their  stolen  ivory 


Yet  1  felt  oruteful  to  them  s(miewhat  that  thev  had 


not   taken    irreater   advantaiie    of 


my    i)osition. 


With 


Captain  Nelson  and  Dr.  l*arke  and  ahout  thiity  men  in 
their  power,  they  might  have  compelled  a  thousand  con- 
cessions from  me,  which  ha])])ily  they  did  not.  I  hoped 
that  after  a  season  of  forbearance  divine  justice   would 


(1( 


dent 


see  fit  to  place  me  in  more  iiidepemient  circumstanees. 
When  the  Doctor  and  Nelson  and  their  sick  men  were 
recovered  and  in  my  camp,  and  the  1  Ifi  loads  and  ])oat 
left  at  Ipoto  been  conveyed  away,  then,  and  not  till  then, 
would  1  l)e  'dV^Q  to  cast  up  accounts,  and  demand  a  per- 
emptory and  final  settlement.  The  charges  were  written 
plainly  and  fairly,  as  a  memorandum. 


i'HMini:s  ahmsst  kilusua   losua. 


'j::^ 


Messrs.    KlI.ONUA   LoNGA   Uinl   ("o.,   l|)i)*M. 

'I'll  Mr.  Sliiitli'i/,  iijjirn's  niitl  iiit'ii  iif  f/if  l\.  J'.  /,'.  i.j jixlit 
S'lii'finlHff  Vttli,  l><iS7. 

To  having  cim-cd  tlic  starviition  t'>  dcatli  iK'twccii  tlir 
Lciiila  lEivcr  and  Ihwiri  of  07  nun:  iK'caus*'  \\v  liad 
crossfd  that  rivi-r  witli  'JTl  men  and  in  caiiiit  witli 
tliosc  due  here  sliortly  tlitTt-  were  (»nly  I7'»,  and  "JM 
iiiclusivo  of  Captain  Nelson  and  Dr.  I'arkc — tliLicfort' 
lo.ss  of  men    ........ 

To  27  men  at  Ii)oto  too  ftrltlo  to  travi-l,  many  of  whom 
will  not  recover. 

To  speiirinj,'  to  death  Miifta  Ma/.inpi       .... 

To  tlotr^'iii);  one  man  to  deatli  ..... 

To  tloj.'j^'inK  Ami,  a  Zanzdtari,  'J(H»  lashe.s. 

To  attempiinj^'  to  starve  Captain  Nelson  and  I>r.  Parko. 

To  instifxatint:  rohU-ry  of  two  hoxes  of  anununitiuu. 

To  rcccivini;  thirty  stolen  Iteminjiton  rifies. 

To  various  oppressions  of  Zan/iharis. 

To  compelling  Sarhoko  to  work  as  their  slave. 

To  various  insults  to  (!aptain  Nelson  and  Dr.  i'arko. 

To  devii.stating  -UitHX)  sipiare  miles  of  territory. 

To  liutcliery  of  .several  thou.siinds  of  natives. 

To  enslaving  several  hundreds  of  women  and  children. 

To  theft  of  'J(M)  tusks  of  ivorv  Itetweeii  May,  1SS7,  and 
October,  1H87. 

To  many  murders,  raids,  crimes,  devastations  j^ast,  present 
and  pros])ective. 

To  deaths  of  Zan7.il)aris 
To  nii.schiefs  incalculable  ! 


Nov.  17. 
Ibwiii. 


Dr. 
Cm 


69 


Duiino-  tlie  afternoon  of  the  17tli  we  exjxM'ienced 
once  jioain  tlie  evil.s  attendino-  our  connection  witli  tlie 
Manyiiema.  All  Jhwiri  an<l  nei,iilil»oinin^  »listii<'ts  were 
in  arm.s  aoain.st  us.  The  first  declaration  of  their 
hostilities  took  place  when  a  man  nanietl  Sinilta  pro- 
ceeded to  the  stream  close  to  the  canij)  to  draw  water, 
and  received  an  arrow  in  the  ahdomen.  IJealizinii'  from 
our  anxious  faces  the  fatal  nature  of  the  woinid.  he  cried 
out  his"  Buryani  hrothers  !  "  and  .soon  after,  hein^  taken 
into  his  hut,  loaded  a  Hemino'ton  ritie  near  him.  and 
made  a  «>hastly  wreck  of  features  that  were  (tnce  jovial, 
and  not  uncomely. 

The  reflections  of  the  Zanziharis  on  the  suicide  were 
curious,  and  l)e.st  expressed  hy  Sali,  the  tent  l)oy. 

"Think  of  it,  Simha  !  a  poor  devil  owning  nothino;  in 
the  world,  without  anythino;  or  anyhody  dear  to  him, 
neither    name,    place,   property,    or  honour,  to  commit 

VOL.  1.  '  s 


iH'ifi 


hili 


■1111,1. 


ii- 


27-4 


TX  DAUKEST  AFIilCA. 


Hiiil 


:!  i 


1 1 

I, 

(1 

'.'■1 

■  \'\  i 

i 

{  .  |1  ,'    !| 

( 

'             i: 

1 

J 

'] 

1 

1SS7. 
Nov.  17 

Ibv.iri. 


suicide!  \\  LTe  lie  <i  licli  Aral*  now,  a  inercliaiit  lliiidu, 
u  captain  of  soldiers,  a  governor  (»fa  district,  or  a  white 
man  who  had  suti'ered  niist'ortune.  or  had  been  the  victim 
of  dishonour  or  shame,  yea,  1  could  understand  the 
spirit  of  the  suicide  ;  hut  this  Simha,  who  was  no  l)etter 
than  a  slave,  an  outcast  of  liiyanyemhe,  without  fi'iends 
on  the  face  of  the  earth,  save  the  few  poor  things  in  his 
own  mess  in  this  camp,  to  go  and  kill  himself  like  a  man 
of  wealth  !  Faugh  !  pitch  him  into  the  wilderness,  and 
let  him  rot !  What  rioht  has  he  to  the  honour  of  a 
shroud  and  a  1  atrial?"  This  was  the  sentiment  of  the 
men  who  were  once  his  comrades — though  not  so 
forcibly  expressed  as  was  done  hy  little  8ali  in  his  fierce 
indignation  at  the  man's  presumption. 

Early  on  this  morning  Lieutenant  Stall's  and  thirty-six 
riHes  were  despatched  to  make  a  reconnaissance  east- 
ward under  the  guidance  of  Borvo,  and  a  vouns;  ]\lan- 
yuema  volunteer,  as  we  had  yet  a  few  days  to  wait  for 
the  arrival  of  several  convalescents  who,  wearied  of  the 
cruelties  pi'actised  at  Ipoto  on  them,  preferred  death 
on  the  road  to  the  liorrible  servitude  of  the  Manyuema 
slaves. 

On  the  I9th  Uledi,  the  coxswain  of  the  Adrancc  with 
his  boat's  crew,  arrived,  reporting  that  there  were  fifteen 
convalescents  on  the  way.  By  night  they  were  in  the 
camp. 

On  the  21st  the  reconnoitering  party  under  Lieutenant 
Stairs  returned,  Boryo  still  accompanying  them  ;  nothing 
new  al)out  the  grass  land  had  been  obtained,  but  they 
reported  a  tolerably  good  path  leading  steadily  east- 
ward, which  Avas  as  comforting  news  as  we  could  expect. 

On  the  23rd,  the  last  day  of  our  stay  at  Ibwiri,  there 
was  a  muster  and  reorganization  : — 

No.  1  coniimny,  Jephsou      .... 

No.  2         „         Stairs  .... 

Soudanese  ....... 

Cooks         ....... 

Boys 

Europeans                           .... 
Manyuema  guide 

175 


m 

nun 

76 

j» 

5 

i< 

.1 

» 

G 

» 

4 

» 

1 

» 

iW. 


IMPROVED    COXDJTWy    uF    THE  .VEX. 


Zi.> 


i"i 


Inclusive  of  (aptain  Nelson  and  Dr.  Parke  there  were 
twenty-eiii'lit  at  I})oto ;  we  had  left  to  recuperate  at 
I'uarrowwas  tifty-six.  Some  from  Nelson's  starvation 
cani[)  under  L'lnari.  tlie  headman,  prohahly  ten,  might 
return  ;  so  that  we  reckoned  the  numher  of  the  advance 
column  to  he  208  still  livini;'  out  of  'AH\)  men  who  had 
de[)arted  from  Yamhuya  l.'il)  days  previously,  and  put 
down  our  loss  at  111.  We  were  greatlv  mistaken, 
however,  for  hy  this  date  many  of  the  sick  at  Igurvowwa's 
had  died,  and  the  condition  of  the  sick  at  Ipoto  was 
(h'plorahle. 

Since  our  arrival  at  Ihwiri  the  majority  of  our  followers 
had  gained  weight  of  hody  at  the  rate  of  a  pound  per 
day.  Some  were  positively  huge  in  girth  ;  their  eyes 
had  hecome  lustrous,  and  their  skins  glossy  like  oiled 
hronze.  For  the  last  three  nights  they  had  ventured 
upon  songs  ;  they  hummed  their  tunes  as  they  pounded 
their  corn  ;  they  sani''  as  thev  ga/fd  at  the  moon  at 
nin'ht  after  their  evening  meal.  Frecaientlv  a  heart v  laugh 
had  heen  heard.  In  the  afternoon  of  this  day  a  sparring 
match  took  })hu'e  ]»etween  two  young  fellows,  and  a  good 
deal  of  severe  thum])ing  was  exchanged  ;  they  were 
alwa  .  s  "spinning  yarns  "  to  interested  listeners.  Life 
had  ccmie  hack  l»y  lea])s  and  hounds.  Brooding  over 
skeletons  and  death,  and  nuising  on  distant  friends  in 
their  far-away  island,  had  heen  ahandoned  for  hopeful 
chat  over  the  future,  ahout  the  not  far  distant  grass 
land  with  its  rolling  savannahs,  and  green  champaigns, 
ahounding  in  fat  cattle;  and  they  dwelt  unctuously  on 
full  udders  and  massive  hum[)s,  and  heavy  tails  of  sheep, 
and  granaries  of  ndllet  and  sesame,  pots  of  zogga,  ])ond)e, 
or  some  other  delectahle  stimulant,  and  the  Lake  Haven, 
where  the  whit  3  man's  steamers  were  at  anchor,  ap- 
peared distinctly  i'}  their  visions. 

They  all  now  desired  the  march,  for  the  halt  had  heen 
<|uite  sutticit^nt.  There  were  twenty  peiha})s  to  whom 
another  fortnight's  rest  was  necessary,  hut  they  all 
appeared  to  me  to  have  hegun  recovery,  and.  ])rovided 
food  was  altundant,  their  marching  without  loads  would 
not  l.»e  hurtful. 


1HH7. 
Nov.  23. 

Ibwiri. 


tip  ■ill 


27B 


7.V  DARKEST  AFUirA. 


ii!it 


!  if 


i 


;  m 


1 


8  .■  r  .  (. 


ittill  If 


Jl 


1887. 
Nov.  24. 

Iljwiri. 


At  (lawn  of  the  l)iiulit  and  sunny  day,  24tli  of  Novem- 
her,  the  Soudanese  trumpeter  l)le\v  the  signal  witli  such 
cheery  strains  that  found  a  ready  response  from  every 
man.  The  men  sliouted  their  '*  Keady,  aye  ready. 
Master !  "  in  a  manner  that  more  remin<led  me  of  former 
expe<litions,  tlian  (►f  any  (hiy  we  liad  known  on  this. 
Tliere  was  no  need  of  the  officers  ])ec(miing  exasperated 
at  dekys  of  laii^ards  and  the  unwillinii' ;  there  was  not 
a  nndiniijerer  in  the  camp.  Every  face  was  lit  up  witli 
hopefuhiess.  A  prospective  al>undance  of  ixood  cheer 
invited  them  on.  For  two  (hiys  aliead  the  path  was  known 
by  tliose  of  the  reconnaissance,  and  tlie  mem])ers  of  the 
party  had,  like  Calel)  and  Joshua,  ex})atiate<l  upcm  the 
immense  and  pendent  clusters  of  })lantains  ettusing 
delicious  odours  of  ripeness,  and  upon  the  garden  plots  of 
potatoes,  and  waving  fields  of  maize,  &e.  Therefore,  for 
once,  we  were  relieved  from  the  anxiety  as  to  who  sliouhl 
take  this  load,  or  that  hox ;  there  was  no  searching 
a])out  for  the  carriers,  no  expostulations  nor  threats, 
])ut  the  men  literally  leaped  to  the  goods  pile,  fought 
for  the  loads,  and  laughed  with  joy  ;  and  the  officers 
faces  wore  grateful  smiles,  and  expressed  perfect  content- 
ment with  events. 

We  filed  out  of  the  village,  a  column  of  the  happiest 
fellows  alive.  The  accursed  Manyuema  were  behind  us, 
and  in  our  froi^^  rose  in  our  imaginations  vivid  pictures 
of  pastoral  lands,  <ind  a  great  lake  on  whose  shores  we 
were  to  be  greeted  by  a  grateful  Pasha,  and  a  no  less 
grateful  armv  of  men. 

In  forty-five  minutes  we  arrived  at  Borvo's  village 
(tlie  chief  had  been  I'cleased  the  day  before),  a  h)ng, 
orderly  arrangement  of  a  street  .S:]  feet  wide,  flanked 
))y  four  low  blocks  of  buihlings  400  yards  in  length. 
According  to  the  (h>ors  we  judged  that  fifty-two  families 
had  formed  Borvo's  particular  community.  The  chiefs 
house  was  rec(><»nizcd  bv  an  immense  slal»  of  wood  four 
feet  wide  and  six  feet  long,  and  two  inches  thick  ;  its 
doorway  Iteing  cut  out  of  this  in  a  diamond  figure. 

The  height  of  the  broad  eaves  was  10  feet  aliove  the 
ground,  and  the  houses   were   10  feet   in  width.     The 


BOliYo'S    VIlLAdK. 


a  I 


eaves  projected  30  inches  in  front,  and  l'  feet  over  tlie 
liack  walls.  Outside  of  the  village  extended,  over  level 
and  high  <i;round,  the  fields,  <j!;ai'dens,  and  plantations, 
hanked  all  roun<l  hv  the  untouched  forest,  which  looked 
dark,  ominous,  and  unwelcome.  Alt<)<iether  Horyo's  vil- 
lajie  was  the  neatest  and  most  comfortable  we  had  seen 
throuo'hout  the  vallev  of  the  Aruwimi.  One  hundred 
yards  from  the  western  end  ran  a  pereniual  and  clear 
stream,  which  ahounded  with  fish  (»f  the  silurus  kind. 

After  a  short  halt  we  resnnie<l  the  journey,  and 
entered  the  forest.  Four  miles  heyond  Boryo's  we 
passed  over  a  swamp,  which  was  very  favourable  to  fine 
growths  of  the  Raphia  palm,  and  soon  after  lunched. 
In  the  afternoon  I  undertook,  as  an  ex})eriment,  to 
count  my  paces  for  an  hour,  and  to  measure  a  space  of 
200  yards,  to  find  the  mnnher  of  inches  to  a  pace,  and 
found  that  the  avei'a^e  rate  in  a  fair  track  through  the 
forest  was  4800  })aces  of  '1(\  inches  lon^'  =  :\A1()  yards 
per  hour.  At  3  o'clock  we  cani[)ed  in  an  ext<'nsive 
pigmies'  village.  '''he  site  connnaniled  four  several 
roads,  leading  to  villages.  There  is  no  douht  it  was  a 
favourite  spot,  for  the  village  common  w<(S  well  tam])e<l 
and  ada[)te(l  for  sport,  gossip,  and  meetings.  The  hush 
aroun<l  the  camj)  was  ([uite  untlisturhed. 

On  the  25th,  afti-r  8|  miles  march,  we  reached 
Indemwani.  Our  track  led  along  the  water-}»arting 
between  the  Ituri  and  I  hum  rivers.  The  village  was  of 
oval  shape,  similar  in  architecture  to  Boryo's.  A  wealth 
<»f  [)lantains  surrounded  it,  and  Imlian  corn,  tobacco, 
beans,  and  tomatoes  were  ])!entiful.  In  passing  through 
the  (dearin"\  over  a  fearful  confusion  (tf  lous.  one  of  oui' 
men  lo])ple«l  over,  and  fell  and  broke  liis  neck. 

From  Indemwani  we  moved  on  the  iMith  t(»  West 
Indenduru,  through  a  most  humid  land.  Streams  were 
(■rosse<l  at  every  mile  ;  moss,  wet  and  diipping,  clothed 
stems  from  base  to  top.  Fven  shrubs  and  \ines  were 
covered  with  it. 

A  peculiarity  of  this  day's  march  was  a  bioad  highway, 
cut  and  cleared  for  3  miles  thi'ough  the  undergrowth, 
which  was  terminated  by  a  large  village  of  the  })igmies, 


IS87. 
Nov.  24, 

Ibwiri. 


'f 


% 


k:Ji 


It; 
I 


':     ''I     J?| 


y 

'J: 
'<k  li 


■II 


278 


'  '    '   •        ^          1 
'.    '■  -                    '. 

t 

.  ■  \  , 
1 

, 

11  i  ■ , 

i 

f  jl! 


I'^hI 


^n 


jy   DAIIKKST  AFRICA. 


•2(; 
ludtiudurii. 


18H7.  l»ut  recently  vacated.  Tliere  were  ninety-two  liutSj 
\vhi<'li  we  may  take  to  represent  ninety-two  families,  or 
therea])outs.  There  was  one  hut  iirore  pretentious  than 
the  others,  which  j^ossildy  was  the  chief's  house,  ^^'e 
had  seen  nowahout  twenty  villages  of  the  foi'est  })i<iniies, 
))ut  ns  yet  we  hud  only  viewed  the  pretty  little  wcmii 


in 


at  [I 


iiarrowwu- 


-tl 


le  nuniature 


I  Tel 


le. 


Lieutenant  Stairs,  dui'inu'  his  reconnais.sance  fi'om 
Ihwiri,  hud  reached  West  Indenduru.  and  hud  left  the 
village  standing'  ;  but  because  he  hud  oc(  u]»ied  it,  the 
natives  hud  set  tire  to  it  ufter  his  de[)aiture.  \Ve  observed 
also  that  the  Balesse  seldom  ate  of  the  })roduce  of  u  field 
twice,  und  that  a  plantain  urove.  after  beaiing  fruit  once, 
is  al)undone(l  for  another  ;  and  a  corn  i)lot,  after  being 
tilled,  sown,  and  hui'vested,  is  left  to  revert  to  wilder- 
ness. They  up[)eur  to  be  continuully  })luntinu  bununus 
and  preiKirini"'  iii'oun<l  foi-  corn,  which  accounted  for  the 
innnense  clearings  we  hud  pussed,  un<l  for  the  thousunds 
of  trees  thut  littered  the  ground  in  one  greut  ruin.      For 


tl 


le 


t»ananas  or  plantanis,   tliev    snn[)Iv   cut   down 


tl 


le 


underwood  and  [)lunt  the  young  bulbs  in  u  shuUow  hole, 
with  sufficient  eurth  to  keej)  it  u})right.  They  then  cut 
the  forest  down,  und  let  the  trees  lie  where  thev  fall. 
In  six  months  the  Musa  bulbs  have  thriven  wondei'fully 
under  shude  and  among  roots  and  debris,  and  grown  to 
8  feet  in  height ;  witliin  a  year  they  have  borne  fruit. 
The  Indian  <'oi'n  or  maize  i"e(piires  sunshine.  The  trees 
are  cut  down  well  ubove  the  buttress,  by  building  scutlblds 
10,  15,  or  even  20  feet  high.  The  logs  ure  cut  u}).  und 
either  split  f(tr  slubs  or  lining  for  the  innei-  und  outer 
vvulls  of  their  huts,  or  scoo))ed  out  for  ti-oughs  foi-  the 
munufucture  of  pluntuin  wine.  The  brunches  ui'e  ])iled 
uround  the  [)lot  to  rot  ;  they  do  not  burn  them,  becuuse 
thut  would  im[)overisli  the  soil,  und  us  the  surfuce  is  rich 
in  humus,  it  would  burn  down  to  the  cluv. 

Considering  whut  greut  lubour  is  involved  in  the 
cleuringof  u  portion  of  pi-imevul  foi-est.  we  were  tem])ted 
to  regard  the  Bulesse  us  very  foolish  in  burning  their 
villages  for  such  a  trivial  cause  as  one  night's  occupation 
ot  them   by   strangers  ;    but  it   is   an    instance  of   the 


HAST  AM)    WEST  ISDENDUllU 


279 


o1)stinate  sullennoss  of  tliosc  people.  IJoiyo's  villauo, 
for  instance,  could  scan-ely  lie  constnictecl  under  a 
twelvemonth.  The  population  of  the  largest  villauc  we 
saw  could  not  exceed  (JOG  souls;  hut   while   we  wonder 


Nov.  -•'). 
liiik'Hilurit 


at  tl 


leu'  prejudK-es,  we  nuis 


t  award   civdit   to   them  f( 


>r 


great  industry  ami   unlimited  patience   to  produce  such 


«1 


)ien( 


lid 


results  as  we  ohservec 


d. 


Kast  Indenduru  was  also  an  exceedinoly  well-ltuilt 
village,  and  extremely  clean,  thouuli  the  houses  within 
swarmed  with  vermin.  The  stivet,  however,  was  too 
naiTow  for  the  heij^ht  of  the  liuildinus,  and  a  fire  occuniiin" 
in  the  ni^ht  niiuht  easily  have  consumecl  half  the  inliahi- 
tants.  For  the  huts  were  liiii'hei*  than  at  Horyos,  and  as 
the  huildin^ii's  were  a  few  hundred  yai'ds  in  leniith,  and  had 
only  one  principal  exit  at  the  eastein  end,  the  danucr  of 
a  tire  was  such  that  we  did  not  occui)vit  without  havinii' 
taken  many  })recautions  to  avoid  a  possible  disaster  in 
what  apjK'ai'ed  to  l)e  a  ])erfect  trap. 

Fiehl-heans.  of  a  dark  variety,  were  gathered  l»y  the 
bushel,  and  oui'  nu'ii  jevelled   in   the   juice  of  the  suiiar- 


cane. 


e  we 


re   now  in   S.    Lat.    \     221'   and  south  of  the 


watershed,  all  streams  flowing  towards  the  ituri. 

On  the  28th  we  halted  in  Fast  Indenduru,  and  sent 
three  sepai'ate  reconnoitrinii'  ]  arties  to  obtain  a  knowledge 
of  the  oeneral  dii-ection  of  the  loutes  leadinu'  out  of  the 
settlement.  We  had  tested  the  task  of  form  in  u'  our  own 
track  throu^iih  the  foi-est  long  enouuh,  and  ha.ing  dis- 
covered one  which  had  been  of  i-uch  service  to  us,  we 
were  loth  to  revert  to  the  tedious  labour  of  travellino- 
through  jungles  and  undei'growth  again. 


Jepl 


ison  s  ])artv  ])rocee( 


led   S.S. F.,  and   Hnallv  S.,  and 


at  noon  tui'ued  back  to  re})ort.  This  road  would  not  do 
for  us.  Eashid's  partv  took  one  leading  F.N.F.,  an<l 
finallv  north,  throuuh  two  small  villages,  one  jiath  return- 


mg  sou 


therb 


v,  another  u'oniu'  north-easterl\ 


Continuing 


Ids  explorations  along  the  latter,   he  came   to  a   native 


cam]).    There  was  a  slight  skiiini? 


h  :  th(»  natives  W^^d.  and 


he  obtained  a  pi'ize  of  nine  fat  goats,  only  five 


>  o 


thev  1 


)rou< 


oht  t 


o  cami 


riiis  road  wouhl  not  suit  us  ei 


f  which 
ther. 


's 


-11 


280 


AV  DAUKEHT  AFh'fCA. 


¥  ^.  i 


'■^■' 


:'  I 


i 

1 

, 

j 

J  '  ■         1 

' 

1 

1 

1 

i 

ii'i 

i 

1 

1 

i 

'  il 


'1 


hiiiiii 


^1?^ 


i.i 


1SH7. 

Nov.  -ix. 
Indenduru. 


A  tliird  search  party  was  led  by  a  famous  scout,  wlio 
discovered  one  path  heading  easterly.  We  resolved  to 
adopt  this. 

On    the    29th   we  left   Indenduru   and   journeved   to 


Ind( 


eDessu 


1 


1)V  noon,  and  in   the  aftenn 


ton  sheerec 


1  1 


)V 


northerly  })ath  to  the  settlement  of  the  Baburu,  having 
accom[)lished  a  distance  often  miles  in  five  hours,  which 
was  exceedingly  fair  walking. 

On  the  next  nioi'iiing,  after  a  march  of  an  hour  and  a 
half  along  a  tolerably  good  path,  we  emerged  in  front  of  an 
extensive  <-learing  of  about  240  acres.  The  trees  were  but 
recently  cut.  This  marked  the  advent  of  a  powerful  tribe, 
or  a  late  removal  to  new  uround  of  old  settlers  of  some 
numerical  force,  resolved  upon  securing  many  creature 
eomforts.  A  captive  woman  of  the  Waburu  led  the  way 
through  the  mitldle  of  this  wide  abattis.  the  very  sight 
of  which    was  a[)palling.      An  hour  later  we  had  crossed 


tl 


us.   not   without    bruisei 


d   sh 


uns   and   nuich   treml> 


linu'. 


and  the  path  then  led  up  an  easy  ascent  up  a  prolonged 
span  of  a  hill.  The  hollows  on  either  side  of  it  showed 
prodigious  groves  of  |)lantains  and  many  gardens,  ill-, 
kept,  devotcil  to  hei'bs  and  gourds.  Within  thirty  minutes 
from  the  sununit  of  the  ascent  we  had  reached  an  altitude 
that  promised  to  give  us  shortly  a  more  extended  view 
than  any  we  had  been  hitely  accustomed  to,  and  we 
pressed  gladly  upwards,  and  soon  eutei'ed  a  series  of 
villages  that  followed  the  slope.  A  village  of  these  jtart 
al     '  "  "  '    ■ 


ways  gave  us  a  highway  well  trodden,  from  fortv  to 
sixtv  feet  wide;  in  a  series  of  this  tvpe  of  villages  we 
should  soon  be  able  to  pace  a  mile.  We  had  passed 
tl 


d  til 


ite  h 


blocks  of  I( 


>tr 


irougli  several  tine  separal 
tures.  when  the  foremost  of  the  advance  guard  was  seen 
running  swiftly  (h)wn  to  meet  me.  He  asked  me  to  look 
towards  the  sunrise,  and.  turning  my  eyes  in  that 
direction,  thev  were  met  bv  the  liratifvinu'  sioht  of  a 
fairly  varied  scene  of  pasture-land  and  forest,  of  level 
champaigns  and  grassy  slopes  of  valleys  and  hills, 
rocky  knolls  and  softly  rounded  emiiuMices,  a  veritable 
"land  of  hills  and  valleys,  that  drinketh  the  rain  of 
heaven."     That  the  opeu  couutry  was  well  watered  was 


uuTtiKinrs  OF  THE  fuuest. 


L'.Sl 


in(li<atotl  ]>y  tlio  many  irregular  lines  of  woods  wliidi 
niarki'd  the  course's  of  tlio  streams,  and  l)y  the  (•lumj)s  of 
trees,  whose  crowns  just  rose  aliove  tlieir  slopino-  jianks. 
The  iireat  forest  in  wliicli  we  had  lieen  so  lon_u'  liuried, 
and  wliose  limits  were  in  view,  ajipeared  to  contimie  in- 
tact and  unbroken  to  the  X.E..  Itut  to  the  E.  of  it  was 
an  altogether  diiierent  region  of  urassy  meads  an«l  plains 
and  hills,  freely  sprinkled  with  ,ur<»ves.  clusters,  and  thin 
lines  of  trees  u[)  to  certain  ranges  of  hills  that  ltoun<UMl 
the  vision,  and  at  wliose  liase  I  knew  must  Ite  the  udal 
whither  we  hail  for  m<»nths  desired  to  reach. 


1SS7. 
X(u-.  :fO. 

Biikwuru. 


'  I'l y-\- 


1:1 


VIEW   OF   JIOINT    I'lSGAH    KliuM    THK    i; ASTWAKD. 

This,  then,  was  the  lon^-  [)romised  view  and  the  lon_o- 
expected  exit  out  of  uloom  !  Therefore  1  called  the  tall 
peak  terminating'  the  forested  I'id^e.  of  which  the  spur 
whereon  we  stood  was  a  part,  and  that  rose  two  miles  E. 
of  us  to  a  height  of  4(500  feet  above  the  sea,  Pis^ali, — 
Mount  Pisoah. — because,  after  I5G  davs  of  twilight  in 
the  primeval  forest,  we  had  first  viewed  the  desired 
pasturelands  of  E(|uatoria. 

The  men  crowded  up  the  slope  eauerly  with  incjuirino 
open-eyed  looks,  which, before  they  worded  their  thoughts, 
we  knew  meant  "  is  it  true  ^     Is  it  no  hoax  ■     Can  it  be 


2S2 


/X   l>AI,'Ki-:sr  AFItlCA. 


m 


tiil 


V 


\ 

M 

lHi7. 

Isdv.  :in. 

Biikwuru. 


possildc  tlli'.t    \V 


arc   near  tlir  cii-l   of  this   foi'tst  iioJl  ? 


riiey  were  (••iiviiictMl  rlicinsclNcs  in  a  tV'W  inoiiicnts  at'ttT 
tliev  luid  (lrti|)]MMl  their  Iturdcns.  and  rcuai'diMl  rhu  view 
with  W()ii(h'iini4'  and  dcliiiiitcd  surprise. 


Axe,  tVicn 


Is.  it 


IS  I  rue. 


I5v  tl 


le  lliercv  ( 


.fdod 


WO  art' 


w 


ell  niuh  the  cikI  <>f  our  j)ris(Hi  and  dunucon!"  'I'lii^*}' 
hrhl  tht'ir  liaiids  far  out  yeai'iiinuiy  towards  the  suj)ei'I» 
land,  and  each  looked  uj)  to  tlic  hriuht  l»hie  heaven  in 
uratei'nl  worship,  and  aftor  they  liad  Liazetj  as  tliou«;h 
fascinated,  thcv  recovered  then»sel\es  witii  a  deep  sioli, 
and  as  they  tui'ned  tlieir  lieads,  h) !  the  sahh'  f  »rest  heaved 
away  to  the  infinity  of  the  west,  and  tliey  shooi<  their 
clenched  hands  at  it  with  gestures  of  defiance  and  hate. 
Feverish  fronisuchlen  exaltation,  they  apostro[)hised  it  for 
its  crueitN'  to  themselves  and  their  kinsmen  :  tl 


lev  com- 


pared it  to  Hell,  they  accused  it  of  the  nnirder  of  one 
liundi'ed  of  theii'  comrades,  they  called  it  the  wilderness 
of  fun_ni  and  wood-lieans  ;  hut  the  yreat  foi'cst  whicli  lay 
vast  as  a  continent  hefore  them,  and  drowsy,  like  a  ureat 
heast,  with  monstrous  fur  thinly  veiled  Ky  va[)orous  ex- 
halations, auswei'ed  not  a  word,  hut  rested  in  its  intinite 


suilenness.  remorseless  and  nn|)lacaiile  as  ever. 

From  S. F.  to  S.  extended  a  ranue  of  mountains  li,"- 
tween  (5,000  and  7,000  feet  ahove  the  sea.  One  woman 
ca[)tive  indicated  S.F.  as  ou)"  future  direction  to  the  <.'reat 
water  that  "  rolled  incessantly  on  tlu'  shore  with  a  Itoom- 
in^'  noise,  liftinu'  and  drivino'  the  sand  hefore  it,"'  l)Ut  as 
we  were  in  S.  Lat.  1^  •i'i',  on  the  same  })arallel  as  Ivavalli. 
oui'  ohjective  point,  1  preferred  aiming  east,  straight  to- 
wai'ds  it. 

Old  liorvo.  chief  of  Ihwiii,  had  drawn  with  his  hand  a 
semicii'cle  from  S. F.  to  N.W.  as  the  coui'se  of  the  Ituri 
River,  and  said  that  the  river  rose  froma])lain  at  the  foot 
of  a  great  hill,  or  a  range  of  hills.  To  the  S.  F.  of  Fisgah 
we  could  see  no  plain,  hut  a  deep  wooded  valley,  and  unless 
our  eyes  deceived  us,  the  forest  seeme<l  to  ascen<l  U])  the 
slopes  of  the  range  as  far  as  its  summits.  Five  months 
of  travel  in  one 


continuous  forest  was  surely  ex})erience 
enough  :  a  change  would  therefore  lie  agreeahle,  even  if 
we  varied  hut  our  hardships.      This  was  another  reason 


MolXr    I'iSdAll. 


2s,S 


liakwui  II. 


nil.'  I    proposed   to  (It'clinc  all  atlvice  upon   the   pi'opcr      \^^'>- 
j)atli  IcafliiiLi  to  tlic  •■  uvcar  watci"." 

Ill  the  villaLi'e  of  the  Ijakwiini,  in  wliidi  we  now  j)ro- 
j)ai'C(l  to  ('n('ain[),  we  found  sIccncIcss  vests  of  thick  liuH'alo 
hide,  which  our  men  secured,  as  firtinii'  armour  auainst 
the  arrows  of  the  trihes  of  the  ^rass  land. 

(hi  the  1st  of  Decemlier  we  retrace(l  (»ui'  st '})s  down 
tlie  s[)ur.  and  then  struck  alonu'  a  track  runniiii,^  easterly, 
lu  a  short  time  we  ascended  another  s[)ui'  ieadinn'  up  to 


VlI.I.Adl'.S    iiF    THK    liAKWTlir    ON    A    Sl'l  1!    OF    I'lMiAH. 

a  terrace  helow  ]*i,;oidi  peak,  where  we  olitained  the 
highest  reading'  of  the  aneroid  that  we  had  yet  reached. 
We  then  followed  a  path  leadin<>'  from  the  terrace  (h)wn 
another  spur  to  the  average  level,  A  numl)er  of  well- 
defined  and  trodden  roads  were  crossed,  hut  our  })atli 
seemed  to  increase  in  importance  until,  at  11.15  a.m.,  we 
entered  the  hiroe  villaiie  of  lyuiiu,  which,  of  course,  was 
<{uite  deserted,  so  (juickly  do  the  natives  of  the  forest 
seem  to  ])e  apprised  of  new  arrivals.  Tlie  street  of  this 
vilhio'e  was  fortv  feet  wide. 


Hi 


V'i 


;  T! 


284 


IX   DA  UK  EST  AinK'A. 


1HH7. 
Dec.  1, 


We  (»lisc'rv('(l  a  ('oHsidcniMc  di'viiess  in  the  woods  lie 
twcoii  Pisojili  l»ase  and  lyuuu,  wliidi  was  a  _<>TL'at  ('lian,i>o 
Bakwuni.  ^^.^^^^^    j.|,jj^.    (.xccssivc   li'Mniditv   felt    and    seen    between 
Indenduiu  a'-  '   'Itwiri.     Tlie  fallen   forest   leaves  had  Ji 
sli^u'htlv  el'  ook  altout  them  and  crackled  under  onr 

feet,  and  the  track,  thou;^li  still  in  primeval  shade,  had 
somewhat  of  the  dusty  appearance  of  a  village  street. 


?^"i 


i.21' 


ft! 


w 


f\\ 


\ 


After     the     noon      :f'^}i'plll        halt     we     made     a 
two     hours'     march      '.   /    ■  to   a    small    villaoe 

consisting    of    three  '  conical    huts,    near 

which  we  camped.  Thouoli  we  had  travelled  t>ver  ten 
miles  we  miuht  have  been  hundreds  of  miles  yet  from 
the  open  countrv  for  all  \.\i  culd  leather  frcmi  our 
8urroun<lint's.  For  thev  were,  as  usual,  of  tall  dense 
woods,  of  true  tropic  charactei'.  dark,  somhrous  and 
high,  ])ound  one  to  the  other  with  creepers  and  vines, 
and   a    thi<'k    underiirowth    throve    under    the    shades. 


1I7-;   lU'.Aril    THE   I'AsTr nil- LAS iK 


28;' 


We.    liowovor.    picl\<'(l    up   a    .sti'jinuc    aiiow    in   ouo   of     ins; 


tlio    Imts,    wliirli    (liH'i'r«'il    on-jitlv    tVom    anv    wo 


ha.l 


a>;    vt't    seen.      It    was    rwciity-ciulir    iiiflics    in    Icnutli, 
and     its     point     was     sju'ar-slwqu'd,    and     three     iiicl 


les 


lony-.      Its  shaft  was  a    li.uht   reed  eane.  heaulifnlly  and 
finelv  notched   tor  (h'coration,  a  thin   trianLiuhu-sha[)e«l 


pie 


ce   o 


t"  kid   h'ather    directed 


the  arrow,  instead  of"  a  leaf 
or  a  piece  of  l»hick  (loth  as 
hitherto.  A  (piiver  full  of 
forest-trilte  arrows  was  also 
foun<l,  and  thev  were  twentv 
inches  Ion*;,',  and  each  arrow- 
head dirt'ered  from   the  other. 


It 


.f 


thounh  each  was  luurderousU 
sharp  and  harhed. 

On   the    I'nd    of    l)e<'eiiil>or, 


d't 


soon  alter   Jeavmu' 


tl 


le  canii) 


we  lost  the  native  roa<l,  and 
had  to  pick  our  way  amongst 
a  })er})lexin_i''  nund»er  of  hutlalo 
aiul  elephant  tra<'ks.  A  stupid 
fellow,  who  had  lieen  out 
wandering-,  had  informed  us 
that  he  had  reached  the  plain 
the  night  l»efoi'e,  and  that  he 
couhl  easily  ouide  us  to  it. 
Trustino'  in  him,  we  soon  lost 
all  siyns  of  a  track,  and  hej^an 
a   crooked  and   erratic    course 


irouL 


fh  th 


Ml  woods,  as  in  times 
After     nearly     three 


CllIKF   DP    'IHI-:    IYl(iU. 


1>IM',     I. 

Uakwuru. 


tl 

l)ast. 

hours'  travelling'  X.  l»y  E.  we 

stumbled    ui)on    a    villai>e,    whose    conical     roofs    were 


thatched  with   yra.- 


Tl 


us  was  a  u'l'and  discovery,  an( 


d 


was  hailed  with  cheers.  One  fellow  literally  rushed  to 
the  grass  and  kissed  it  loviniily.  Already  there  were 
two  chai'a<'teristics  of  ])astui'e-land  hefore  us,  the  cone 
hut  and  the  grass  thatch.  We  halted  for  a  noon  rest, 
and  a  few  young  men  took  advantage  of  it  to  exphn-e, 


t ' 


il:l 


r:! 


t!:j:i» 


'i-    :' 


111 


I       ! 


2s<) 


/.V   h.\ltl\i:sT  Al'ltli'A. 


1     7.       Mild    ln'lnrt'    the    llil  1 1  ill'i-t  illic    was   f\|)il(Ml    ludllLlIlt    !<•    lis 

a   liiiiicli  (»!'  Liri'cii  ,i:ifis.>.  wliirh  was   hailed   with  dcx  »iit 
raptihcs.   lis   Noah   and   his  taniilv  iiia\'  liavi-  haih'd  tiic 


Due.  •.' 
Imli'SuiM. 


I<iiidl\'    doNc    with    ihc    olive    inaiirh 


II 


()U('\('i'.    thcv 


l'('|)(irt('d  that  the  wa\'  tlicx  had  lullowcd  led  to  a  swamp, 
and  swaiii|»s  KciiiLi  '">  hoirnr  to  a  laden  earaxaii.  our 
titU'i'iiooii  inarch  was  made  in  a  S.S.  M.  ilireetioii.  wliieh 
in  ninety  miniites  liioiinhi  us  to  Indesura.  another 
vilhmc,  or   rather  a  distri<-r.  eonsistinu'  of  several  small 


M'ttlements    of  eoiie   huts    thatehed    with    <_iras.> 


II 


ere 


we  ha 


Ited. 


11 


aviiiu'  occasion  to   repair  a  root  a  man    niounte<l   to 


ited   t< 


the  lop  ot"  a  house,  and  looking  round  laiiuuidly  wa.- 
preseiillv  seen  to  lift  his  hand  to  his  eves  and  uazc 
earnestly.  JIc  then  roarecl  out  loud  enough  for  th(3 
entire  villau'c  to  hear.  "I  see  the  lirasslaiid.  Oh.  hut 
we  are  close  to  it ! " 

"  Nay,"  said  ono  in  re[)Iy,  mockinii'ly.  "'don't  you  also 
se'O  the  lake,  and  the  steamer,  and  that  Pasha  whom  wo 
Keek  t  " 

Most  of  us  were,  however,  stirred  Ity  the  news,  and 
three  men  climbed  ii[»  to  the  roofs  with  the  activity 
of  wild  cats,  otliers  climhed  to  the  toi)s  of  trees,  while  a 
(hirinu'   voun<i'   fellow    climlted    one    which    would    have 


tasked  a  monkey  almost,  and  a  chorus  oi  exclamations 
rose,  "Aye,  verily,  it  is  the  truth  of  (rxl,  the  o})en  land 
is  close  to  us.  and  we  knew  it  not!  ^^  hy,  it  is  merely 
an  arrow's  Hiuht  distant !  Ah,  when  we  reach  it,  farewell 
to  darkness  and  hlindness." 

As  u  man  went  to  draw  water  from  the  stream  close 
l»y.  an  ancient  crone  ste})ped  out  of  the  bush,  and  the 
man  dro[)[)ed  his  water-pot  and  seized  her.  She  being 
vigorous  ami  obstinate,  like  most  of  her  sex  just 
previous  to  dotage,  made  a  vigorous  defence  for  her 
liberty.  A  Countess  of  Salisbury  could  not  have  been 
more  resolute,  but  the  man  possessed  superior  strength 
and  craft  and  hauled  her  into  cam}).  By  dint  of  smiles 
and  coaxing  and  obse<]uiuusly  filling  u  long  })ipe  for  her, 
we  learned  that  we  were  in  Indesura,  that  the  i)eople 
were   called    Wanya-Sura,   that  the  villagers  (juenched 


1  ) 


!!■.: 


1 

i 

1 

!;•  i 

f 

m 

In 

TOBACCO   AT  INUE-SUHA. 


289 


tlieir  thirst  witli  tlic  wnterw  of  tlie  Ituri.  "The  Ituri  ? " 
"Ay,  the  Ituri  ;  this  stream  close  l»y  ;"  that  many  days 
east  of  us  was  a  great  })roa(l  river,  ever  so  mu(^h 
))roa(ler  than  tlie  Ituri,  witli  canoes  as  wide  as  a  house 
(ten  feet)  wliicli  wouhl  carry  six  ])eople  {.svV')  ;  tliat  a 
few  days  nortli  there  was  a  mighty  trihe  called  the 
Banzanza,  and  east  of  them  another  people  called  the 
liakandi,  and  both  of  these  ti'ihes  possessed  numerous 
herds  (jf  cattle,  an<l  were  very  valoi'ous  and  warlike,  and 
who  were  rich  in  cattle,  cowries,  and  brass  wiie. 

Our  ancient  captive,  who  was  somewhat  peculiar  for 
her  taste  in  personal  (h'coi-ation  by  having  a  wooden 
disk  of  the  size  of  an  ulster  button  inti'uded  into  the 
centre  of  her  u})pei'  lip,  was  now  seized  with  another  fit 
of  obstinacv  and  scowled  malignantly  at  all  of  us  except 
at  a  bashful  smootli-faced  youth  upon  whom  she 
a})})arently  doted,  but  the  foolish  youth  ascribed  the 
usiliness  of  auedness  to  witchcraft,  and  fled  fiom  her. 

Inde-sura^ — and,  as  we  discovered  latei'.  all  the  villages 
situated  on  the  edge  of  the  forest — was  remarkable  Ibr 
the  varietv  and  excellent  (|uality  of  its  products.  Mostly 
all  the  huts  containe*!  large  baskets  of  superior  tobacco 
weighing  fnmi  twenty  lo  fifty  pounds  each,  such  (pian- 
tities,  indeed,  that  every  smoker  in  the  cam[)  obtained 
from  five  to  ten  pounds.  The  crone  called  it  "  Taba  ;  "  in 
Jbwiri  it  was  called  Tabo.  Owing  to  the  imperfect  dry- 
iuLi'  it  is  not  fram-ant,  but  it  is  extremelv  smokable. 
Fifty  pipefuls  a  day  of  it  would  not  [)i'oduce  so  much 
effect  on  the  nerves  as  one  of  the  article  known  as 
(^avendish.  Ihit  here  and  there  among  the  leaves  there 
were  a  few  of  rich  brown  colour,  slinhtlv  s])otted  with 
nitre  which  produced  a  difl'erent  effect.  Two  of  our 
officers  ex})erimente(l  on  a  pipeful  of  this,  which  they 
deemed  to  be  superior,  and  were  inconceivably  wi'etched 
in  conse(pience.  When,  however,  these  lea\es  ai'(>  picked 
out,  the  to])acco  is  mild  and  innocuous,  as  may  be 
judged  by  the  half-j)int  ]>ipe-bowls  peculiar  to  this 
region.  In  every  district  near  the  grassland  the  {)lant 
is  abundantly  cultivated,  for  the  ])urpose  of  commei'ce 
with  the  herdsmen  of  the  })lains  in  exchange  for  meat. 

VOL.  I.  T 


1SH7. 
Dec.  4. 

Indu-sura. 


r;ii 


290 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


Ill  I! 


'  5 


#ii| 


!'!^: 


1887 
Dec.  4. 

Inde-sura. 


TliG  castor-oil  pluiit  wus  also  extensively  cultivated. 
Re/juiring  u  supply  of  castor-oil  as  medicine,  the  beans 
were  roasted,  and  then  pounded  in  a  wooden  mortar,  and 
we  expressed  a  fair  (juantity,  which  proved  very  effective. 
We  also  required  a  su[)ply  for  rifles,  and  their  mechanisms, 
and  the  men  prepared  a  supply  for  anointing  their 
bodies — an  operation  which  made  them  appear  fresh, 
clean,  and  vigorous. 

Having  discovered  that  four  of  our  scouts  were 
strangely  absent,  1  despatched  Rasliid  bin  Omar  and 
twenty  men  in  search  of  them.  They  were  discovered 
and  brought  to  us  next  m(jrning,  and  to  my  surprise  the 


ru'Es. 


four  absentees,  led  by  the  incorrigible  Juma  Waziri,  were 
driviuii'  a  tlock  of  twentv  tine  goats,  which  the  chief 
scout  had  ca|)tured  by  a  ruse.  1  had  often  been  tem|)ted 
to  sacrifice  Juma  for  the  benefit  of  others,  but  the  rogue 
always  appe.ired  with  such  an  inoffensive,  and  crave- 
your-humble-pardon  kind  of  face,  which  could  not  be 
resisted.  He  was  of  a  handsome  Abyssinian  type,  but  the 
hypocrisv  on  his  features  marred  their  natural  beauty. 
A  JMliuma,  Masai,  Mtaturu,  or  (lalla  nuist  have  meat, 
even  more  so  than  the  Englishman.  It  is  an  article  of 
faith  with  him,  that  life  is  not  worth  living  without  an 
occasional  taste  of  beef  1  therefore  warned  Juma  again, 
und  consoled  myself  with  the  reflection,  that  his  career 


MHii 


ivated. 

beaiLs 
RY,  and 
"ective. 
iiiismw, 
•'  their 

fresh, 

^  were 
:ir  and 
overed 
ise  the 


1,  wore 

le  (;hief 

nipted 

i-ooue 
crave- 
lot  ])e 
Hit  tlie 
)eaiity. 

meat, 
tide  of 
Hit  an 

a_nain, 

career 


AN  INCORRIGIBLE  RAIDER. 


21>1 


as  a  scout  couM  only  be  for  a  lu'ief  time,  and  that  lie 
would  surely  meet  natives  of  craft  and  courage  equal  to 
his  own  some  day. 

We  had  made  an  ineffectual  start  on  this  day,  had 
actually  left  the  village  a  few  hundred  yards  when  we 
were  stopped  by  the  depth  of  a  river  forty  yards  wide 
and  with  a  current  of  two  and  a  half  mik's  an  hour. 
The  old  crone  called  this  the  Ituri.  Marvelling  that 
l)etween  Ipoto  and  Il)wiri  a  river  400  yards  wide  could 
be  narrowed  to  such  a  narrow  stream,  we  had  returned 
to  Inde-sura  for  a  <lay's  halt,  and  I  had  immediately  after 
sent  Lieutenant  Stairs  and  ^Ir.  -lephson  with  suthcient 
escin't  back  along  yestenhiy's  path  to  find  a  ford  across 
the  Ituri. 

At  4  P.M.  both  officers  returned  to  i'e])ort  a  successful 
discovery  of  a  ford  a  mile  and  a  half  higher  up  the 
stream,  and  that  they  had  set  foot  ii])on  the  grassland, 
in  proof  of  which  they  held  a  bunch  of  fine  young 
succulent  grass.  Meantime,  Lledi  and  his  })arty  had 
also  found  another  ford  waist  deep,  still  nearer 
Indc-sura. 

On  the  evening  of  this  day  a  ha[)pier  community  of 
men  did  not  exist  on  the  face  of  the  round  earth  than 
those  who  rejoiced  in  the  camp  of  Inde-sui-a.  On  the 
morrow  they  were  to  bid  farewell  to  the  forest.  The 
green  grassy  region  of  which  we  had  dreamed  in  our 
dark  hours,  when  slumbering  heavily  from  exhaustion  of 
body  and  prostration  from  hunger  during  the  days  of 
starvation,  was  close  at  hand.  Their  pots  contained 
generous  supplies  of  juicy  meat  ;  in  the  messes 
were  roast  and  hoiled  fowls,  corn  mush,  [)lantaiii  tlour 
[)orridge,  and  I'ipe  bananas.  No  wonder  they  were  ii(t\v 
exubei'antly  hap])y,  and  all  except  ten  or  twelve  men 
were  in  finer  condition  tlKdi  wlien  they  had  embarked  so 
hopefully  for  the  journey  in  the  port  of  Zanzibar. 

On  the  4tli  of  December  we  tile(l  out  of  indc-sura  and 
proceeded  to  the  ford.  It  was  waist  deep,  and  at  this 
place  fifty  yards  wide.  Two  of  the  aneroids  indicated 
an  altitude  of  .'U)5()  feet  above  the  ocean  -IH50  feet 
higher  than  the  level  of  the  river  at  the  landing-iilace  of 


l>!    \ 


t\\  1 


1887. 
Dec.  4. 

Inild-sura. 


'U 


M:!    ( 


II 


•    I 


t<        \     I  :l 


^M 


pi 


:|: 


ii 


i 


292 


1887. 
Dec.  4. 

Grass  Land. 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


Yambuvu,    and  2000  feet  liiolier   than  the    Conm)    at 
Stanley  Pool. 

From  the  Ituri  we  entered  a  narrow  })elt  of  tall  timber 
<m  its  left  bank,  and,  after  waiting  for  the  column  to  cross, 
marched  on,  led  l)y  Mr.  Mounteney  Jephson  along  a  })road 
elephant  track  for  about  GOO  yards,  and  then,  to  our 
undisguised  joy,  emerged  upon  a  rolling  plain,  green  as 
an  English  lawn,  into  broadest,  sweetest  daylight,  and 
warm  and  glorious  sunshine,  to  inhale  the  pure  air 
with  an  uncontrollable  rapture.  Judging  of  the  feelings 
of  others  by  my  own,  we  felt  as  if  we  had  thrown  all  age 
and  a  score  of  years  away,  as  we  stepped  with  invigorated 
limbs  u])on  the  soft  sward  of  vounii'  <>Tass.  We  sti'ode 
forward  at  a  pace  most  unusual,  and  finally,  unable  to 
suppress  our  emotions,  the  whole  caravan  broke  into  a 
run.  Everv  man's  heart  seemed  enhuged  and  lifted  ui) 
with  bovish  gladness.  The  l)lue  heaven  above  us  never 
seemed  so  spacious,  lofty,  pure,  and  serene  as  at  this 
moment.  We  <>azed  at  the  sun  itself  undaunted  1)V  its 
glowing  l)rightness.  The  young  grass,  only  a  month 
since  the  burning  of  the  old,  was  caressed  l»v  a  bland, 
8oft  })reeze,  and  turned  itself  about  as  if  to  show  us  its 
lovely  shades  of  tender  green.  Birds,  so  h)ng  estranged 
from  us.  sailed  and  soared  through  the  lucent  atmosphere  ; 
aiitelones  and  elands  stood  on  a  orassv  eminence  o-azinu' 
and  wondering,  and  then  bounded  upward  and  halted 
snorting  their  sur})rise,  to  which  our  own  was  ecjual  ; 
buffaloes  lifted  their  heads  in  amazement  at  the  intruders 
on  their  silent  domain,  heaved  their  bulky  forms,  and 
troope<I  away  to  a  safer  dijstanie.  A  hundred  s(|uare 
miles  of  glorious  c(nintry  opened  to  our  view — apparently 
deserted — for  we  had  not  as  yet  been  able  to  search  out 
the  fine  details  of  it.  Leaoucs  upon  leagues  of  briuht 
green  pasture  land  undulated  in  gentle  waves,  intersected 
by  narrow  winding  lines  of  umbrageous  trees  that  filled 
the  hollows,  scores  of  gentle  hills  studded  with  dark 
clum])s  of  thicket,  gra<'ed  here  and  there  by  a  stately 
tree,  lorded  it  over  level  breadths  of  pasture  and  softly 
sloping  champaigns  ;  and  far  away  to  the  east  rose  some 
frowning  ranges  of  mountains  beyond  which  we  were 


If 

i 

1 

I 
I 

II 

WE  REACH   THE   GltAHS  LAND. 


20;-, 


certain   slept   in    its  deep  gulf  the  blue  Albert.      Tntil      \^f<i. 
breatlilessiiess  forced  a  halt,  the  caravan  had  sped  on  the    ^^'^'  *' 
double-! piick — for  this  was  also  a  pleasure  that  had  been  "^'"^'^  **"  * 
lono'  deferred. 

Then  we  halted  on  the  crest  of  a  commandino'  hill  to 
drink  the  beauty  of  a  scene  to  which  we  knew  no 
rival,  which  had  })een  the  sul)ject  of  our  thou<^hts  and 
dreams  for  months,  and  now  we  were  made  "  glad  ac- 
cording to  the  days  wherein  we  had  been  afflicted  and 
the  period  wherein  we  had  seen  evil."  Every  face  gloated 
over  the  beauty  of  the  landscape  and  reflected  the  secret 
pleasure  of  the  heart.  The  men  were  radiant  with  the 
fulfilment  of  dear  desires.  Distrust  and  sullenness  were 
now  utterlv  banished.     We  were  like  men  out  of  durance 

•J 

and  the  dungeon  free  and  unfettered,  having  exchanged 
foulness  and  (hmip  for  sweetness  and  purity,  darkness 
and  o'locmi  for  divine  liiiht  and  wholesome  air.  ( )ur 
eyes  followed  the  obscure  track,  roved  over  the  pasture 
hillocks,  great  and  small,  every  bosky  islet  and  swarded 
level  around  it,  aloni*'  the  irregularities  of  the  forest  line 
that  r(jse  (hirklv  funereal  behind  us,  advancinu'  here, 
recedino-  there,  vonder  assuminn'  a  bav-like  canoe,  here 
a  cape-like  })oint.  The  mind  grasped  the  minutest 
peculiarity  around  as  quick  as  vision,  to  cling  to  it  for 
many,  many  years.  A  scoi-e  of  years  hence,  if  we  live  so 
long,  let  but  allusion  l)e  made  to  this  happy  hour  when 
every  soul  trembled  with  joy,  and  praise  rose  spon- 
taneously on  every  lip,  and  we  shall  l)e  able  to  map  the 
whole  with  precision  and  fidelity. 

After  examining  the  contour  of  the  new  region  before 
us  with  the  practical  view  of  laying  a  course  free  from 
river  or  swanij),  I  k'd  the  Expedition  N.N.E.  to  a  rocky 
kno]]  which  was  about  four  miles  from  us.  in  order  to 
stiike  the  southern  base  of  a  certain  hilly  range  that 
ran  E.  by  S.  from  the  knoll.  I  imagined  we  should 
then  be  able  to  travel  over  upland,  trending  easterly, 
without  much  incxmvenience. 

^^  e  reached  the  base  of  the  rock-heap  that  stcKxl  about 

•300  feet  above  the  vallev  to  our  riuht,  then  ])erceivin<i: 

111  ''  1  ^ 

that  the  obscure  game   track  we  had  followed  had  de- 


I'll 


1 1 


li 


f    i 


iif"^ 


n 


290 


TN  DARKKHT  AFRICA. 


ir 


li 


I* 


1887.     volopod  into  a  native  liii;li\vay  running  N.E.,  we  struck 
^"*'- '*•     across   tlie  grassy  upland   to  retain  our  liold   uiK.n   tlie 

Grass  L.iiiil.  i       i        '•         i     .i  i        j_  i  v 

crown  wc  had  gamed,  the  short  young  grass  enal)ling  us 
to  do  so  without  fatigue,  i^ut  near  noon  tlie  tall  unl)urnt 
gi'ass  of  last  senson  interi'upted  our  too-easy  advance 
with  its  tangle  of  robust  stalks  of  close  growth  ;  l)ut  we 
l»ore  on  until  12.;U),and  after  an  hour  of  serious  exercise 
halted  l»y  the  side  of  a  crystal  stream  for  refreshments. 

Ill  the  afternoon  we  hrejisted  the  o[)posing  grassy 
slope,  and,  after  an  hour  and  a  half  of  rapid  pacing,  selected 
a  camp  near  the  junction  of  two  streams,  which  flowed 
south-easterly.  Relieved  from  their  huriens,  a  few  tireless 
fellows  set  out  to  forage  in  some  villages  we  had  observed 
far  below  our  line  of  march  in  the  vallev.  The  sudden- 
ness  of  their  descent  among  tlie  natives  provided  them 
with  a  lich  stoi-e  of  fowls,  sugar-cane,  and  ripe  branches 
of  bananas.  They  brought  us  specimens  of  the  weapons 
of  this  new  land  :  several  long  bows  and  lengthy  arrows  ; 
shields  of  a  heavy  rectangular  form,  formed  of  a  double 
row  of  touii'li  rods  crossed,  and  tii>htlv  bound  together 
with  fibre  and  smeared  with  some  gummy  substance. 
They  presented  very  neat  workmanship,  and  were  alto- 
gether impenetrable  to  arrows  or  spears.  Besides  shields 
the  natives  wore  vests  of  buffalo  hide,  which  appeared  to 
be  ([uite  impervious  to  pistol  shots. 

Our  course  as  far  as  the  rocky  knoll  already  described 
was  nearly  parallel  with  the  edge  of  the  forest,  our  path 
varying  in  distance  from  it  from  a  half  mile  to  a  mile 
and  a  half  As  a  sea  or  a  lake  indents  its  shore,  so 
appeared  the  view  of  the  line  of  forest. 

The  trend  of  the  Ituri  that  we  had  crossed,  which  we 
must  call  West  Ituri,  was  E.8.E..  I  should  have  esti- 
mated the  source  of  the  river  to  have  been  distant  from 
the  crossing  about  25  geographical  miles  N.N.W. 

On  the  next  day  we  advanced  up  a  long  slope  of  short 
orass  land,  and  on  the  crest  halted  to  arranue  the 
column  with  more  order,  lest  we  might  be  suddenly 
confronted  l)y  an  overwhelming  force,  for  we  were  as 
yet  ignorant  of  the  land,  its  people,  and  the  habits  of 
those    among    whom     we    liad    dropped    so    suchlenly. 


I'    I' 


THE  ITVRT  nnEIi. 


20; 


Miii'cliini>;  forward  we  cliose  a  slight  track  tliat  followed 
the  crest  leadiii*^'  E.  by  S.,  hut  soon  all  tr;icos  of  it  were 
hxst.  However,  we  were  on  a  commanding'  upland,  and 
a  score  of  miles  were  visihle  to  us  in  any  direction  out 
of  which  we  mio'ht  select  any  course.  A  villa^'e  was  in 
view  N.E.  of  us,  and  to  it  we  directed  our  steps,  that 
we  niii^'ht  avail  ourselves  of  a  path,  for  the  (dosely- 
pa"ked  acreages  of  reedy  cane  and  tifteen-feet-hi_i>h  oi-ass, 
rliat  we  stumbled  upon  occasionally,  were  as  had  as  the 
underuTowth  of  the  iunole.  The  verv  tallest  and 
rankest  o;rass  impeded  us,  and  pi-evented  rapid  advance. 
We  crossed  jungly  gullies,  on  whose  muchly  ground  were 
imi)ressed  the  feet  of  lions  and  leopards,  and  finally 
entered  a  tract  ot  acacia  thorn,  which  was  a  sore  an- 
novance,  and  out  of  this  last  we  emeroed  into  the 
millet  fields  of  i\ll)iri.  In  a  few  seconds  the  natives 
were  warned  of  our  approach,  and  fled  instinctively,  and, 
Parthian-like,  shot  their  lono-  arrows.  The  scouts  dashed 
across  every  obstacle,  and  seized  a  young  w<mian  and  a 
lad  of  twelve,  who  were  the  means  of  instructino-  our 
poor  ignoran(;e.  No  long  conversation  could  be  main- 
tained with  them,  owing  to  our  very  imperfect  knowledge 
of  any  dialect  spoken  near  this  region,  but  a  few  names 
of  nouns  assisted  bv  oestures  ])roui'ht  out  the  fact  that 
we  were  in  the  district  of  ^Ibiri,  that  the  main  road 
easterlv  would  take  us  to  llie  Bal)U'-iesse  countrv,  that 
beyond  them  lay  the  Abunguma,  all  of  which  naturally 
we  heard  with  supreme  indifference.  What  did  such 
names  convey  to  dull  senses  and,  blank  minds  ?  They 
had  never  heard  of  Shakespeare,  jMilton,  or  even  of  Her 
^lajesty  the  Queen 

"  Had  any  of  them  heard  of  Muta,  or  Luta  Xzige  ?  " 

A  shake  of  the  head. 

"OfUnyoro?" 

"Unvoro?     Yes.     Unvoro    lies    a     o-reat    way   oftV' 
pohiting  east. 

"  ( )f  a  great  water  near  Unyoro  ?  " 

"  The  Ituri,  you  mean  !*  " 

"  No,  wider  ;  ever  so  much  wider  than  the  Ituri — as 
wide  as  all  this  plain." 


1«87. 
IVc.  4. 

Grass  Land 


'  f 


>>■; 


ti, 


m^ 


t  ! 


!% 

!•*' 


2\m 


IN  DAIiKEHT  AFRKW. 


1WH7. 
Dec.  J. 

iJabusessc. 


It  M 

1  ■  ■ ":  Ml 

■  '  ■            ,    (               t    . 

■iiir  '' 

j 

r  11  ^^   • 

j 

i 

But  instoud  of  coiitiiiiii,!;'  tlienisclvos  to  moiiosyllal)los, 
wliicli  we  niiniit  easily  litive  understood,  tlie  wretched 
woman  and  hoy,  anxious  to  convey  too  nuich  informa- 
tion, smothered  comprehension  hy  voluhh'  talk  in  their 
dialect,  and  so  perplexed  us  that  we  had  recourse  to 
.silence  and  patience.  They  would  show  us  the  way  to 
Bal)usesse  at  least. 

The  mode  of  hut  construction  is  similar  to  that  seen 
all  over  East  and  Central  Africa.  It  is  the  most 
popular.  A  c(jne  roof  ()ccu})ies  two-thirds  of  the  height  ; 
one-tliird  is  devoted  to  the  hei<i,ht  of  the  walls.  Huts 
of  this  pattern,  scattered  anKMio'st  the  banana  proves,  are 
found  every  few  dozen  yards.  Paths  lead  from  one  to  the 
other,  and  are  most  batHino'  to  the  stranuer,  who  without 
a  local  guide  nmst  necessarily  oo  asti'ay.  To  every 
group  of  huts  there  are  attached  outhouses  for  cooking- 
sheds,  for  gossip,  to  store  fuel,  and  doing  chords  ;  also 
circular  grass-walled  and  thatched  little  granaries  raised 
a  foot  or  so  altove  the  ground  as  protection  against 
vermin  and  dam[). 

Our  people  obtained  a  large  quantity  of  ripe  plan- 
tains and  ripe  bananas,  out  of  which  the  aborigines 
niaimfacture  an  intoxicating  wine  called  nidnnt.  A  few 
goats  were  also  added  to  our  flock,  and  about  a  dozen 
fowls  were  taken.  All  else  were  left  untouched  accordino; 
to  custom,  and  we  resumed  our  journe}'. 

The  path  was  well  trodden.  Traffic  and  travel  had 
tamped  it  hard  and  smooth.  It  led  S.E.  by  E.  up  and 
down  orassv  hills  and  vales.  Near  noon  we  halted  for 
refreshments,  shaded  ])y  fine  woods,  and  close  by 
boomed  a  loud  cataract  of  tlie  Ituri,  we  were  told. 
This  was  rather  puzzling.  We  could  not  understand 
how  the  Ituri,  wliicli  we  had  forded  the  day  l»efore, 
could  be  roaring  over  precipices  and  terraces  at  this 
high  altitude,  and  after  we  had  purposely  struck  away 
from  its  valley  to  avoid  it. 

A  march  of  an  hour  and  a  half  in  the  afternoon, 
apparently  not  very  far  from  the  river,  brought  us 
to  the  populous  district  of  the  Bal)usesse.  The  banana 
plantations    w^ere    very    extensive,    reminding    me    of 


DlsrilK'T   OF    TlIK   liAlilSESsf:. 


2!M> 


U<i:au(la,  and  their  deep  shades  covered  a  imdtitude  of 
liuts.  Fiehls  of  millet  and  sesame,  plots  of  sweet 
potatoes,  0('('n[>ied  the  outskirts  of  these  j)lantations, 
and  there  was  ain|)le  evidence  round  a])out  that  the 
land  was  thickly  pcoj)led  and  industriously  cultivated. 

J^efore  eiiterinu'  the  lianana  shades  we  repaired  oui' 
ranks,  and  marched  in  more  com])act  oidei'.  A  strong' 
hody  of  men  armed  with  Winchesters  formed  the 
advance  <;uard  ;  a  sinular  nund)er  of  men  armed  with 
lleminutons,  under  the  command  of  Stairs,  closed  the 
rear  of  the  column.  But  however  well  cautioned  the 
men  were  against  hreakino; 
rank,   no    sooner    had    the 


d 


lisafel' 


a(l\ance  o;uar< l  [)asse( 
through  a  dan<;erous  local- 
ity than  the  main  hody  in- 
variably despatched  scores 
of  looters  into  huts  and 
granaries  to  hunt  up  hooty 
and  fowls,  bananas,  goats, 
suaar-cane,  and  trivial 


ticle^ 


of 


no    eai 


thb 


ar- 
use. 


SHIELDS    i)K    l!AItr8i.;SSi;. 


1HH7. 
Ii;il)ii8es.>-i; 


These  plantations  hid  a 
large  nund>ei'  of  natives, 
who  permitted  the  advance 
to  pass  because  their  files 
were  unbroken,  and  their 
eyes  on  the  watch,  but  those 

straggling  looters  soon  gave  the  aborigines  the  oppor- 
tunity. Some  arrows  fiew  well  aimed  ;  one  pinned  a 
man's  arm  to  his  side,  another  glancing  from  a  ril) 
admonished  its  owner  of  his  follv.  A  vollev  from  ritlcs 
drove  the  men  awa\'  from  their  covert  without  harm 
to  any  of  them. 

At  the  easternmost  settlement  we  camped.  There 
were  only  two  lai'ge  conical  huts  and  other  outhouses  in 
it,  and  around  these  the  huts  for  the  night  were  ar- 
ranged  hastily,  put  up  with  banana  leaves  sutticieiu  to 
shed  rain  and  (.lew. 

At  dusk  1  called   the  captives  to  me  again,  and  at- 


m  \ 


•  t  • 


4 


W- 


)  I        ! 


Ny 


H 


300 


7.V   DA  UK  EST  AFIlTCA, 


m 


m 


( 


!.    I  I 


■  ii' 


ift87.     tempted,  diirin^j,'  half  an  liour,  to  gain  a  lucid  answoi    to 

Dec.  o.     |.jj^   (nu'stion  as  to  wliether  there  was  a  great   hody  of 

a  iibcssi..  ^^..^^^,j.  ^jj.  o'jvat  river  east  of  us.     AVlien  one  <)f  the  head- 

uicu  who  wei'e  assisting  us  demanded  to  know  wliicli  was 

the  hirgest Nyanza,  tiuitof  Unyoro,  or  that  of  Iganchi — 

"Nyanzal"  criccl  tlie  native  1)oy — "  Nyanza  i"  Ay, 
the  Nyan/a  lies  this  way"  (pointing  east)  "and  extends 
that  way"  (north-east)  "  a  Jong  distance;"  and  when 
asked  how  many''  sleeps"  intervened  hetween  the  Uahu- 
sesse,  held  up  three  fingers  on  his  dexter  hand,  and 
answered  "  tiiree." 

'^t  was  now  dark,  and  we  were  suddenly  startled  ])y  a 
shriek  of  pain,  and  a  secjuent  yell  singulai'lv  weii'd,  and 
with  a  note  of  triumph  in  it,  and  in  the  silence  that 
followed  we  heard  the  hurtling  of  arrows  through  th<' 
banana  leaves  above  our  heads, 

"  Put  out  the  fires !  Keep  cool.  Where  are  the 
sentries  ?  Why  are  they  not  at  their  posts  ?  "  were  the 
next  words  uttered. 

The  natives  had  stolen  on  us  at  the  very  hour  when 
the  camp  was  least  watched,  for  it  was  supper-time,  and 
the  guards,  exeept  on  unusual  oc-casions,  were  permitted 
to  feed  before  '^oini''  out  on  guard  dutv  for  the  ni"ht. 
AVe  soon  ascertained  that  one  arrow  had  penetrated  the 
thigh  of  a  man  named  Salim  to  the  de])th  of  four  inches, 
another  had  "••';rced  the  roast  leg  of  a  kid  before  the  fire, 
several  others  had  perforated  banana  stalks.  Salim,  after 
a  little  coaxing,  bravely  drew  out  the  shaft  until  the 
barbed  point  was  seen,  when,  with  a  wreneh,  I  extracted 
it  with  a  pair  of  pincers.  Eucalyptine  was  then  ap[)lied 
to  the  wound,  and  the  man  was  sent  to  his  ([uarters. 

Half  an  hour  later,  all  the  guards  being  now  on  duty, 
however,  the  natives  essayed  anothei-  (piarter  of  the 
eamp,  but  the  rifie-shots  rang  out  (piickly  in  re])ly,  and 
there  was  a  scamper  and  a  rustle  heard.  In  the  distance 
we  heard  two  rifles  fired,  and  an  aoonised  crv,  bv  which 
we  knew  that  there  were  some  of  our  incorrigil)le  looters 
abroad. 

Our  f(jrce  was  weak  enough,  in  all  conseienee,  not  in 
numbers,  but  in  real  strength,  for  defence  and  eapacity 


NA'rn'ES   ATTACK    TIIK   CAMI'. 


301 


for  I) 


)Oiirin'x  niiinmmtion,  mik   t  ipso  wjuk crcrs  woroahvav.s     isa?. 


1( 


ilw 


a  source  of  j^rcat  auxictv  to  mo. 


It 


was  usek'ss  to  reason 


and    ex[)ostulate ;    only    «lo\vnri;i;lit    severity    resti'ainecl 


Dec. 

Bat 


th 


lenj,  and  as  yet,   so  iresli   were  we   tioni 


tlie  I 


lorrois 
of  the  forest,  that  1  lia<l  not  tlie  moral  eoiira<^e  to 
apply    the    screw    of   (lisci[)line ;    hut   when   1  assumed 


mildness,  their  own  heedh'ss  impriKh'Uce  incuri'ed  punish- 
ments far  more  severe  tlcin  any  oi'  us  would  ever  have 
thought  of  intlictiny-. 

A  heavv  rain  fell  on  us  duiiiifx  the  niiiht,  wliich 
(letaine<l  us  next  niorninii;  until  ( i,nht  o'clock.  I  em- 
i)loved    the    time   in    extractiiiij'    somethino:    intellijjiltle 


res 


[)C( 


tiuLi'  the  charact^'i'  of  the  natives  in  fi'ont,  hut  we 


were  all  so  profoundly  i<;norant  of  the  lan,uua<:;e  that  we 
could  make  hut  litlle  headwav.  In  the  eiMh'avoiir  to 
make  herself  clear,  the  woman  dr<'w  on  the  (jjround  a 
sketch  of  the  course  of  the  Ituri.  This  illustrated  one  of 
the  straiii^est  facts  in  African  <'eo(ji;ra])hv  that  one  could 


nuasjine 


Tl 


le  river  was  reuresen 


ted 


flS  oOlliy    up 


to  th 


e 


crest  of  the  watershed,  flowing  steejjly  upwaid  parallel 
with  Lake  Albert,  and  finally  lifting  itself  over  to  ])e 
preci))itated  into  the  Nyanza  I  Stupefied  by  what  she 
said,  1  kept  her  by  me  as  we  marched  out  of  camp  into 
the  open.  From  the  crown  of  a  hill  she  pointed  out, 
half  a  mile  below,  the  Ituri  River  fiowino-  eastward.    'J'he 


^tretcl 


1  111  view  was  an  e 


:lSt  1 


itl 


)V  soutn  course. 


Now  here  was  a  deep  puzzle.     We  had  crossed  from 
the  right  bank  to  the  left  bank  of  the  Ituri  two  days 


)revious 


ly 


m 


N.  Lat.  1°  24' :  we  were  now  in  N.  Lat. 


lusi'iiac. 


1°  28'.  Yet  the  Ituri  we  saw  flowed  E.  ])y  S.  and 
E.S.S.,  and  my  route  to  Kavalli  was  obviously  south  (^f 
east. 

I  declined  to  perplex  myself  any  more  with  the 
problem,  or  in  trying  to  understand  wdiat  the  woman 
meant,  that  the  river  we  had  ascended  for  (JOO  miles 
from  the  Congo  flowed  to  the  Nyanza,  The  only 
solution  possilde  was  that  there  were  two  Ituris,  one 
flowing  to  the  Congo,  the  other  into  the  Nile  basin  ; 
but  both  she  and  her  brother  stoutly  muintuiued  that 
tlisrc  was  only  one  Ituri. 


1 1 1 
<  I 


II 


'.1  i 


m 


VI 


lit 


p 

1,1  .T. 


Ill 


I . 


I 


I 


302 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


1887. 
Dec.  5. 

Biibusesst'. 


We  continued  on  our  journey,  following  a  path  which 
(lipped  down  into  the  valley.  We  presently  stood  on 
the  banks  of  the  stream,  and  the  solution  was  ut  hand. 
It  was  the  main  Ituri  River,  flowing  south  of  west !  We 
are  all  wise  after  the  event. 

There  was  a  clumsy,  misshapen  canoe  in  the  river, 
and  as  8aat  Tato  was  an  expert  canoeist,  he  was 
detailed  to  ferrv  the  caravan  over  for  a  reward  of 
20  dollars.  The  river  was  125  yards  broad,  about  seven 
feet  average  depth,  with  a  current  of  two  knots.  It 
was  a  cataract  of  this  stream  whose  low  thunder  we 
had  heard  near  ]\Ibiri. 

The  natives  of  Abunguma,  on  the  left  side  of  the 
river,  watched  our  operations  from  a  hill-top  a  mile 
otl",  with  an  air  of  confidence  which  seemed  to  say. 
"  rVll  right,  friends.  When  you  are  through,  you  will 
have  to  reckon  with  us."  Nothing  could  be  done  in 
such  an  open  land  as  this  without  '  all  the  world 
knowing  it."  The  Abunguma  shook  their  spears  bravel}- 
at  us  ;  the  Babusesse  occupied  every  prominent  point 
on  the  right  side  of  the  river.  it  a})peare(l  once  or 
twice  as  if  our  manhood  was  about  to  l)e  tested  on  an 
important  scale.  There  was  the  ctmifort,  however,  that, 
knowing  the  natives  to  be  alert  and  active,  we  could 
not  l»e  sui'prised  on  a  pasture  slope  wliere  the  grass 
around  the  camp  was  ])ut  three  inches  high. 

Since  we  had  entered  I])wiri  we  had  fare;l  luxuriously 
— for  Africa.  We  had  enjoyed  meat  and  milk  daily. 
We  ha<^  live<l  on  fowls,  young  and  dried  beans,  sugar- 
cane, sweet  potatoes,  yams,  colocassia.  tomatoes,  brin jails, 
melons,  plantains,  and  bananas.  On  the  peo})le  the 
eifect  was  wonderful.  They  were  men  in  e\ery  resj)ect 
superior  both  in  body  and  s])irit  to  the  gaunt  and  craven 
wi'etches  whom  the  Arab  slaves  of  Ipoto  scourged  and 
speared  without  moi'e  than  a  mild  protest.  On  the 
whites  also  the  eH'ect  had  l)een  most  beneficial.  Though 
spare,  we  were  no  longer  meagre  and  haggard  ;  a  little 
wine  would  have  coin[)l<'tcd  the  cure. 

A  gentle  grassy  slope,  on  the  next  morning,  t(^ok  us, 
in  the  course  of  an  hour,  to   the  crown  of  one  of  those 


■  ti 


■!i : 


SrSPEXSfOX  BRIDGE  ACIiOSS    HIE  EAST  ITVIil.      808 

Ion*;"  uiululations  so  cliaracteristic  of  this  region.  It 
furnished  us  with  another  all-round  view  peculiarly 
interesting  to  us.  Our  intended  direction  was  south- 
east, as  we  were  hearing  for  a  high  conical  peak  at 
the  end  of  a  range  of  grass-covered  mountains,  which 
afterwards  hecame  known  to  us  as  Mazand)oni's  l*eak. 
AVe  dipped  down  into  delightful  vales,  watered  hy  cool 
and  clear  hrooks.  Close  to  these  wei-e  small  clusters  of 
native  homesteads,  with  their  fields  of  unripe  sorghum, 
sweet  potato,  and  sugar-cane  patches,  &c.  But  the 
homesteads  were  all  ahandoned,  and  their  owners  were 
ohserving  us  from  the  sky-line  of  every  superioi'  hill. 
Finally  we  passed  an  empty  cattle  zerilta,  the  sight  of 
which  was  loudlv  cheered,  and  cries  of  "  Av,  the  master 
is  right,  and  every  word  conies  to  pass.  First  will  come 
the  grass-land,  then  the  cattle  with  hrave  men  to  defend 
them,  then  hills,  then  the  Nyanza,  and  lastly  the  white 
man.  The  grass-land  we  have  seen,  here  is  the  cattle 
yard,  yonder  are  the  mountains,  the  hrave  men  and  the 
Nvanza  and  the  white  man  we  shall  yet  see,  please 
God." 

We  bore  on  our  way  to  a  valley  through  which 
another  river  rushed  and  roared.  On  our  left  was  a  rugge*! 
line  of  rocks  that  rose  in  huge  and  detached  masses,  on 
the  top  of  which  a  dozen  men  might  he  seated  comfort- 
ahly.  Connecting  these  huge  I'ock  masses  was  a  lower 
line  of  rocks,  more  uniform,  forming  the  hare  spine 
of  a  ridge.  At  some  [)laces  we  passed  so  close  to  the 
l)ase  of  this  hill  that  we  were  within  easy  stone's  throw 
of  the  summits.  But  though  we  were  pi'epared  for  a 
demonstration,  the  natives  remained  sinu'ularlv  ouict. 
The  path  we  followed  halted  at  a  sus[)ension  bridge 
across  a  ihird  "  Ituri,"  which  had  better  be  distinguished 
as  Kast  Ituri  to  ])i'event  misunderstanding.  This  last 
river  was  thirty  yards  wide,  deep  and  swift  as  a  i'a|tid. 
Spanned  bv  a  bridge  of  such  fragile  make  that  we  couhl 
only  pass  one  at  a  time  in  safety,  it  re(|uired  one 
hundred  and  twenty  seconds  for  a  single  [)erson  to  <'i'oss 
the  ninety-feet  span,  and  the  caravan  was  not  on  the 
other  side  entirelv  l)efore  (>  p.m.     As  the  crossinu  was  in 


IS87. 
Doc.  h. 

liabiisess(5. 


\m 


'Vi 


!i' 


m- 


I  •     ! 


' ;  :  .  :      ,-ia 


804 


IN  DAB  REST  AFBICA. 


't  i ' 


(i 


1887. 
Dec.  6. 

Ituri 
River. 


a  position  of  great  disadvantage,  riflemen  had  been  on 
the  look-out  all  day. 

In  the  afternoon  we  saw  a  fine  hlack  cow  and  her  calf 
issue  out  of  a  defile  in  the  r(  L-ky  ridge  just  described, 
and  clamours  of  "  Beef,  beef — ay,  ])eef,  how  are  you  ? 
we  have  not  seen  you  since  we  were  young!"  rose  loud. 
The  A])ungunia  had  hidden  their  cattle  among  the  rocky 
hills,  and  these  specimens  had  probal)ly  been  refractory. 


Sl'SrKNSlUN    HUIDliK    ACHOSS   TlIK    E.    ITl'HI. 

Leaving  the  picturesfpie  valley  of  East  Ituri  on  the 
8th,  wo  ascended  an  easy  slope  to  the  top  of  a  hill  where 
we  obtained  a  long  view  of  the  crooked  and  narrow 
valley  of  the  East  Itui'i.  and  vveie  able  to  observe  that 
it  came  from  an  east-south-east  direction.     Shortly  after, 


er  calf 


on  the 
1  \vliere 

naiiow 

ve  that 

1)'  after, 


lOPUL  0  US   SETTLEMENTS. 


305 


something  more  like  a  plain  opened  ht'fore  us,  extending 
over  a  score  of  miles  to  the  south,  bordered  on  the  north 
l)y  the  stony  ridge  and  valley  we  had  just  left  behind, 
while  to  the  eastward  rose  Mazamboni's  mountain  range, 
wlicjse  northern  end,  conspicuous  by  the  tall  peak,  was 
our  present  objective  point. 

At  9.150  A.M.  we  had  approached  several  miles  nearer 
tliis  mountain  range,  and  before  descending  into  the 
valley  of  a  streamlet  flowing  northward,  we  o])served 
with  wonder  that  the  whole  intervening  space  as  far  as 
the  mountains  was  one  mass  of  plantations,  indicative  of 
a  powerful  population.  Here  tlien,  we  thought,  "  will 
l)e  the  tug  of  war.  The  Abunguma  have  left  their 
settlements  in  order  to  join  this  numerous  tribe,  and 
meet  us  with  a  fitting  reception."  No  more  populous 
settlements  had  l)een  seen  since  we  had  departed  from 
Bangala  on  the  Congo.  A  suspicion  that  these  were 
amono-  the  confederation  of  tribes  who  hemmed  in  the 
poor  anxious  governor  of  E(|uatoria  also  crept  into  our 
minds,  as  we  h)oked  upon  this  huge  display  of  nuni])crs 
and  evidence  of  wealth  and  securitv. 

With  the  view  of  not  provoking  the  natives,  and  of 
preventing  the  incorrigible  looters  of  the  column  from 
the  commission  of  mischief,  we  took  a  south-east  track 
to  skirt  the  district.  We  were  able  to  steer  our  coui'se 
between  the  plantations,  so  that  no  cover  was  afforded  to 
an  enemy.  At  ft.lJO  we  had  reached  the  eastern  ex- 
tremity of  the  district,  and  then  rested  for  the  noon  halt 
and  refreshment,  under  liie  shadow  of  a  tree  whose 
branches  rustled  before  a  strong  cool  breeze  from  the 
Nyanza. 

ivcsuming  the  march  at  1  p.m.  we  entered  the  depths 
of  banana  plantations,  marvelling  at  the  great  industry 
evinced,  and  the  neatness  of  the  cultivated  plots.  The 
conical  homesteads  were  large  and  partitioned  within,  as 
we  observed  while  })assing  throuidia  few  open  dooi'ways, 
by  screens  of  cane  grass.  Iilverv  village  was  cleanly 
swe[)t,  as  though  they  had  Iteen  specially  pi'e[)are<l  ibr 
guests.  Each  banana  stalk  was  loadecl  with  bananas, 
the  potato  fields  were  extensive,  the  millet  fields  stretched 

VOL.    I.  U 


1887. 
Dec.  8. 

Undus- 
Hiima. 


Ill' 


■'r  i 


i!l!|: 


il 


ipili! 

illl': 


!i 


■i 


■■It 


1KH7. 
Dec.  H. 

Uiiilus- 
suniM. 


3()(') 


JX   DAIiKKST   AFllK'A. 


awciy  on  cither  side  hy  liuiidi'eds  of  acres.  aii<l  tlie  many 
•granaries  that  had  lately  heen  erected  manifested  ex- 
pectations of  a  honntiful  harvest. 

We  finally  emerged  from  the  corn-fields  without  heinii' 
once  annoyed.  We  thoni^ht  the  natives  had  heen  cowed 
by  exan',uerated  re})orts  of  our  power,  or  they  had  heen 
disconcerted  l>y  our  cautious  manceuvi-e  of  leaving  a  fail' 
open  niaruin  between  the  line  of  march  and  the  groves  ; 


but 
tl 


10U2' 


much  to  our  surprise  we  encountered  no  opposition, 
1    hu'O'e    masses    of    the    aboriuines    covered    the 


eminences 


bord 


ei'inu'  our  route. 


The   broad  and  well-trodden  path  towards  the  moun- 


tains w 


hich 


(11 


1  we  were  nowranidlv  ai)i)i'oacliin£''  oise( 


Pl> 


•h 


1) 


•ted 


an 


almost  level  plain,  three  miles  wide,  rich   with  i)asture 
iirass  in  flower.     The  Eastern  Ituri  was   not  far   olf'  on 


our    left   Hank,   and    on   the   other    side    of   it 


th 


anotiier 


popu 


ous  settlement  was  in  view 


At  3  P.M.  we  arrived  at  the  i)ase  of  the  ^lountain  of 
the  Peak.  Many  of  its  highest  })oints  were  crowned 
with  clusters  of  huts.     The  cotes  of  the  ii'itives  \vere  in 


the    folds    of  the    mountain    frontinu' 


u.- 


The 


pe(  ip 


gathered  in  large  grou[)s  on  the  nearest  summits,  and 
when  we  were  near  enough  the  shouts  of  defiance  wei'c 
uttered  with  loud  and  strident  voices.  We  estimated 
the  average  height  of  the  hills  nearest  to  us  at  about 
800  feet  above  the  ])lain.  and  as  the  slopes  were  par- 
ticularlv  steep  we  judged  their  distance  to  be  between 
800  and  1000  vards  from  us. 

Much  to  our  pleasure  and  relief  the  path,  instead  of 
ascending  those  stec|)  shtpes,  skirted  their  base,  and 
turned  east.  ])ursuing  the  direction  we  wished  being 
now  in,  Nortli  Lat.  r  25'  30".  A  valley  unfolded  to 
our  view  as  we  rounded  the  cornei-  of  the  Peak  Han^e. 


\\ 


'ith   a   breadth   of  one  to  t\ 


wo    miles  wide,   w 


•hid 


1   was 


clothed  with  luxuriant  sorghum  ri[)ciiing  for  the  sickle. 
On  our  right,  rising  immediately  above  us,  was  the  north 
side  of  Mazambonis  range  ;  to  our  left,  the  ground. 
hid<lcn  by  crops  of  grain,  slo])ed  gradually  to  a  i'a[)id 
branch  of  the  East  Ituri,  and  beyond  it  rose,  an 
easy     slope     to    a     Ijroad    horse-shoe     shaped    grassy 


;;* 

i:     i            ' 

i  , 

I'-.           i 

, 

.•'S 

i 

1 

1 

lie  muny 
sted  ex- 

ut  l>eiii,L!; 
m  cowed 
i;i(l  Iteeii 
iig'  a  fair 
;  groves ; 
ipositioii, 
gred    the 

!ie  iiioiiii- 
>e<'ted  an 
I  pasture 
r  oti'  on 
another 

intain  of 
crowned 
^  \vere  in 
e  })e<»ple 
nits,  and 
nee  were 
estimated 
at  a)  tout 
^ere  par- 
l)etween 

istead  of 

)ase,   and 

ed   heing 

folded  to 

k  Hanii'e, 

hich  was 

le  sickle. 

the  north 

ground. 

)  a  ra])id 

rose,    an 

1     grassy 


-3 


?       3 


M 


O 
■■A 


O 

a 

J? 

SI 


!  :i 


■ 

^^^7 
1 

1 

m 

w 

■ 

If,  i    I 


ill 


iii::! 


i  ftil 


ill 


MAZAMliOXrS   PEAK  AND   NZEUA    NUM. 


8()lt 


rido'e,  studded  witli  lioiiiestoads,  ^reeii  witli  millet  and 
coni,  and  ri<-li  in  l»anana  uroves.  One  sweeping' view  of 
our  surruundin^^'s  impressed  us  with  the  prosperity  of  the 
ti'ihe. 

On  entering  this  rich  crop-bearing  valley  a  chorus  of 
war-cries  pealing  menacingly  ahove  our  heads  caused  us 
to  h)ok  up.  The  groups  had  already  become  more 
numerous,  until  there  were  probably  300  warriors  with 
shield,  spear,  and  bow,  shaking  their  flashing  weapons, 
gesturing  with  sliield  and  spear,  crying  wrathfuUy  at  us 
in  some  hmguage.  Waxing  more  ungovernable  in  action 
they  made  a  demonstration  to  descend  ;  they  altered 
their  intentions,  returned  to  the  summit,  and  kept  pace 
with  us — we  along  the  base,  they  along  the  crest  of  the 
fore  hills,  snarling  and  yelling,  shouting  and  threatening, 
which  we  took  to  l)e  expressive  of  hate  to  us,  and 
encouragement  to  those  in  the  valley. 

Issuing  out  of  the  first  series  of  cornfields,  we  heard 
the  war-cries  of  the  valley  natives,  and  comprehended 
that  they  were  taking  position  in  favourable  localities — 
the  hill  natives  warning  and  guiding  them.  It  was  now 
near  4  p.m.,  a  time  to  ])ick  out  camp,  to  make  ready  for 
the  night  in  the  midst  of  a  population  overwhelming  in 
its  numbers.  Fortunately,  close  at  hand  rose  the  steep 
hill  of  Nzera  Kum  with  a  spur,  whose  level  top  rose  a 
hundred  feet  above  the  general  face  of  the  valley.  It 
.stood  like  an  islet  in  the  valley,  distant  from  the  river 
500  yards,  and  from  the  base  of  Mazamboni's  range 
200  yards.  From  the  crest  of  Nzei'a  Kum  we  could 
command  a  view  east  and  west  of  all  the  northern  face 
of  the  high  range,  and  away  over  the  summit  lines  of 
the  horse-shoe  ridge,  across  the  Ituri  branch.  Fifty  riHes 
<*oul(l  hold  a  camp  on  such  a  position  against  a  thousand. 
AVe  hurried  up  towards  it,  the  warriors  on  the  range 
slopes  converging  (h)wnward  as  if  divining  i/ur  intentions  ; 
a  mass  of  noisy  belligerents  hastening  towards  the  line 
of  march  from  the  river  bariks.  The  scouts  in  the 
advance  tired  a  few  solitary  shots  to  clear  the  front,  and 
we  succeeded  in  reaching  the  islet  hill  and  scrand>led  up. 
The  loads  were  thrown  dcjwn,  a  few  picked  skirmishers 


1887. 
Dec.  8. 

L'liilus- 
suma. 


,     ; 


''■I 

t!i  b 


ill: 

Mil 


iiiii^ 


( i 


310 


7.V  BARK  EST  AFRICA. 


liil 

It  '•: 


m 


^jtiiliul 


n 


Dec.  s. 

ririiis- 
isurna. 


were  ordered  to  either  liank  of  the  coluiini  to  assi.st  the 
rearuuni'd,  others  were  directed  to  t'orui  a  zeiiha  arcLiiid 
the  erowii  <tt'  the  spur;  a  hody  of  thirty  men  was  sent 
to  secure  water  from  the  rixer.  In  lialf  an  hour  the 
column  was  safe  on  the  hill,  the  zeriba  was  near  com- 
pletion, there  was  water  for  the  thirsty,  arid  we  had  n 
few  minutes  to  draw  l»reatli  and  to  oliserve  from  our 
commandinu'  elevation  what  wei-e  our  surroundings. 
The  l)ird"s-eve  view  was  not  a  hit  encouraiiinu'.  Ahout 
fifty  villages  were  sprinkled  throu,iih  the  valley  ;  plan- 
tation after  plantation,  field  after  field,  village  after 
village  met  our  vision  in  every  direction.  AVhat  lay 
on  the  mountains  we  did  not  know.  The  swarms 
of  lusty-voiced  natives  on  the  slopes  now  nund)ered 
over  800.  The  air  seemed  filled  with  the  uproar  of  the 
shouts. 

The  mountaineers  appeared  disposed  to  try  conclusions 
at  once.  We  were  fati<iued  with  the  march  of  18  miles  ; 
the  hot  sun  and  weight  of  hurdens  had  weakened  the 
physical  powers  of  the  men.  Some  of  the  hest,  how- 
ever, were  j)ickedout  and  sent  to  meet  the  mountaineers, 
while  we  stood  and  watched  to  weiuh  the  temper  of  our 
opponents.  Four  of  tl'^  scouts  were  foremost.  An 
ecjual  number  of  the  mou  itaineers,  not  a  whit  loth  for 
the  encounter,  bounded  oabanily  to  meet  them.  They 
intuitively  felt  that  the  courage  of  our  four  men  was 
not  of  the  highest  order.  They  approached  to  within 
100  yards  of  them,  and  j)repared  their  bows  against  the 
rifles.  Our  men  delivered  their  fire  harndessly,  and 
then  backed  ;  the  mountaineers  advanced,  with  finders 
on  their  bow-strinii's.  ( hir  four  men  fled,  while  a 
hundred  voices  from  our  camp,  lookini;'  down  upon  the 
scene,  execrated  them.  This  was  a  bad  bcuinninu'  for 
our  side  ;  the  natives  accepted  it  as  a  favourable  omen 
to  them,  and  yelled  triumphantly.  To  check  this  olow. 
our  riflemen  sought  cover,  and  seriously  annoyed  the 
natives.  Some  at  the  extremity  of  the  hill  of  Nzera  Kum 
did  execution  amonu'  the  mountaincei's  on  the  slope  of 
the  ranue  o])positc.  at  400  yards  distance  :  others  crejtt 
down  into  the  vallcv  towards  the  river,  and  obtained  a 


llinni 


s.sist  tlie 
L  arc  and 
Vc'is  sent 
lour  the 
'cir  (M  mi- 
re had  a 
I'oni  our 
undinos, 

Aliout 
y  ;  plan- 
oe  after 
riiat  h\y 
swarms 
uniheied 
ir  of  the 

ichisions 
'A  miles  ; 
^ned  the 
st,  how- 
taineers, 
_'!•  of  our 
)st.     An 

h)th  for 
They 
Hen  was 
witliin 
inst  tlie 
dy.  and 
1  tinkers 
wliile  a 
ipon  the 
nino'  for 

e  omen 
lis  o'low, 
ved  the 
L'la  Kum 

slope  of 
'I's  crept 
tallied  a 


I) 


III':  smoxa,  axd  of  a  good  coruAdEr 


[\iV 


triuiii[)h  for  us  ;  others,  aii'jiin,  workinu  round  the  hase 
of  Xzera  Kum,  etiected  a  diversion  in  our  fa\-our.  Saat 
Tato,  our  hunter,  carried  away  a  cosv  from  her  owners, 
and  we  thus  obtained  a  taste  of  heei  after  eleven  months' 
ahstineiice.  As  nioht  fell,  natives  and  strangers  soiioht 
their  res])ective  (piarters,  l)otli  anticipating'  a  husy  day 
on  the  morrow. 

Before  turninu'  in  for  the  niiiht,  1  resumed  mv  readinii" 
of  the  Bihle  a.-,  usual.  1  had  already  read  the  hook 
rnrough  from  heginniiig  to  end  once,  and  was  now 
at  Deuteronomy  for  the  sec<Mid  reading,  and  I  came 
unto  the  verse  wherein  Moses  exhorts  ,Ioshua  in  those 
fine  lines,  "  Be  strong  and  of  a  good  courage  ;  fear  not, 
nor  he  afraid  of  them  :  for  the  Lord  thy  (lod.  He  it  is 
that  (hjth  go  with  thee  ;  He  will  not  fail  thee,  nor 
forsake  thee." 

1  continued  my  readino,  and  at  the  end  of  the  chapter 
closed  the  hook,  and  from  Moses  my  mind  travelled  at 
once  to  Mazamhoni.  Was  it  great  fatigue,  inci])ieiit 
ague,  or  an  admonitory  symptcmi  of  ailment,  or  a  shade 
of  spiteful  feeling  against  our  cowardly  four,  and  a 
vague  sense  of  distrust  that  at  some  critical  time  my 
loons  would  fly  ?  We  certainly  were  in  the  presence  of 
people  very  (liffereut  from  i}.>e  forest  natives.  In  the 
open  our  men  had  not  been  tested  as  tliev  were  to-da}% 
and  what  my  otiieers  and  self  had  seen  of  them  was  not 
encouraging.  At  any  rate,  my  nniid  was  occupied 
with  a  keener  sense  of  the  (hiiiger  incurred  hv  us  in 
adventuring  with  such  a  small  force  of  cowardly  porters 
to  confront  the  tril)e8  of  the  grass  land  than  I  rememher 
it  on  any  previous  occasion.  It  seemed  to  me  now  that 
[  had  a  more  thorough  grasj  >f  what  might  he  ex})ected. 
Whether  it  followed  a  larger  visual  view  of  land  and 
po[)ulation,  or  that  I  was  imi)ressed  hy  the  volume  of 
human  voices,  wliose  uproar  yet  seemed  to  sound  in  my 
ears,  j  know  not.  But  a  voice  ap[)eared  to  say,  "  ]3e 
strong  and  of  a  good  courage  ;  fea?'  not,  nor  l)e  afraid 
of  them."'  1  could  almost  have  sworn  I  heard  the  voice. 
[  heoan  to  argue  with  it.  Whv  do  vou  adjure  me  to 
ahandon    the   Mission  I    I  cannot   run   if    I    W(juld.     To 


IftHT. 
Dec.  8. 

I'lulus- 
Miina. 


'  r  ' 


I  ■ 


llllllii 


ilil 


m 


^{>r 


!.^ 


»•  ^ 


1HH7. 
Dec.  8. 

Undus- 
Bunin. 


i 


% 


m 


812 


IK  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


retivut  would  he  far  more  fatal  than  advance  ;  therefore 
your  encouragement  is  unnecessary.  It  re[)lied,  never- 
theless, "  Be  sti-onii"  and  of  a  o()()d  coui'au'e.  Advaix-e, 
and  he  confident,  for  1  will  give  this  people  and  this 
land  unto  thee.  J  will  not  fail  thee  nor  forsake  thee  ; 
fear  not,  nor  he  dismayed." 

Still — all  this  in  strict  confidence — hefore  1  slept 
1  may  add  that  though  I  certainly  never  felt  fitter  for 
a  fight,  it  struck  me,  that  hoth  si<les  were  remark- 
ahly  foolish,  and  ahout  to  engage  in  what  1  eonceived  to 
1)6  an  unnecessary  contest.  We  did  not  know  even  the 
name  of  the  land  or  of  the  peo})le,  and  they  were  ecpially 
ignorant  of  our  name  and  of  our  [)ur})ose  and  motives. 

I  sketche<l  out  my  plans  for  the  morrow,  adjured  the 
sentries  to  keep  strict  watch,  and  in  sleep  hecame  !^oon 
ohlivious  of  this  Mazamhoni — lord  of  the  mountains 
and  plains. 

Decend)er  Dth  was  a  halt.  In  the  morning  we  c(mi- 
pleted  our  thorn-hush  fence,  distrihuted  cartridges,  and 
examined  rifles.  By  9  o'clock  the  chill  of  early  day 
retired  hefore  the  warmth  of  a  hot  sun,  and  shortly  after 
the  natives  mustered  in  imposing  numhers.  War-horns, 
with  the  weird  notes  heard  in  Usooa  and  Uuanda  in 
1875,  sounded  the  gathering,  and  over  twenty  drums 
hoomed  from  each  mountain  top.  There  were  shouts 
and  cries  flying  in  currents  from  mountain  to  valley, 
and  hack  again,  for  we  were  quite  surrounded.     Ahout 

II  A.M.  some  few  natives  descended  close  enough  for 
one  Fetteh,  a  man  of  Unyoro,  to  distinguish  what  was 
said,  and  he  exchanged  a  hot  ahuse  with  them,  until 
there  was  (|uite  a  wordy  war.  Hearing  that  one  of  our 
people  understood  the  language,  I  directed  the  wrathful 
tongues  in  the  interests  of  peace,  and  a  more  amicahle 
language  resulted. 

"  We  on  our  side,"  was  said,  "  oidy  fight  in  defence. 
You  assail  us  while  quietly  passing  through  the  land. 
Would  it  not  he  better  to  talk  to  each  other,  and  try  to 
understand  one  another  first,  and  then,  if  we  cannot 
agree,  fight." 

"  True,  those  are  wise  words,"  a  man  replied.     "  Tell 


'  ll 


FitiEXhLY  /.\"n:/,'C(H-i!s/-    WITH  x.\T/i/:s. 


'AW, 


u^  who  vou  are.  Where  you  are  I'rum,  and  w  lu  ii'  vou 
are  going." 

"  We  are  of  Zaiiziliar.  from  tlie  sea,  and  our  diief  is  a 
wiiite  man.      We  are  l)ound  foi'  tlie  Nvanza  of  rnvoi'o.'" 

"  If  you  have  a  \vhit(>  man  with  you.  h't  us  see  him, 
and  we  shall  helieve  you." 

liieutenaait  Stairs  promptly  stepped  out  of  the  zeriha 
and  was  introduced  i»y  Fetteh. 

"  Now  you  tell  us  who  you  are,"  said  Fetteh.  ''  What 
land  is  this?  Who  is  your  chiefs  And  how  fai-  is  the 
iNvanza  : 

'' Tliis  land  is  Undussuma,  the  chief  is  Mazand»oni. 
We  are  Wazamlioni.  'I'he  Kuweru  (Nyanza)  is  reached 
in  two  (hiys.  It  will  take  you  five  (hiy,s.  It  lies  east. 
There  is  only  one  I'oid,  and  you  cannot  miss  it." 

This  heu'an  the  exdianue  of  friendh*  intercourse. 
Strangerhood  was  broken.  We  then  learned  that  there 
were  two  chiefs  in  Undussuma,  one  of  v\h(mi  would  not 
he  averse  to  [)eace,  and  exchange  of  friendly  gifts,  if  it 
were  aoreeahle  t(j  us.  We  ohidlv  assented,  and  several 
hours  were  passed  without  a  hostile  cry  heing  heard,  or 
a  shot  fired,  except  at  the  river,  the  natives  on  whose 
shores  were  ohstinate,  and  declined  listening  to  anything 
hut  war  proposals. 

In  the  aftei'noon  a  mes.sage  came  frcmi  Mazand)oni 
saying  he  would  like  to  see  the  pattoi-n  and  (juality  of 
our  monies.  AVe  sent  two  yards  of  scarlet  uniform  cloth, 
and  a  dozen  brass  rods,  an<l  a  promise  was  given  that 
early  next  morning  the  chief  himself  would  appear  and 
i»o  throuii'h  the  ceremonv  of  brotherhood  with  me. 

The  next  day  we  were  refreshed  after  an  undisturbed 
'  ight.and  fondly  indulged  in  antici[)ations  that  in  a  few 
houi's,  [)erliaps,  our  camp  would  l)e  tilled  with  friendly 
natives,  W'e  had  been  re<juested  not  to  (le})art  until  a 
return  gift  shouhl  arrive  from  Mazamboni.  We  acc(»rd- 
inii'lv  had  resolved  on  another  dav's  halt.  The  morninj» 
w^as  still  raw  and  cohl,  for  we  were  4,2.'55  feet  above  the 
sea.  A  mist  covei'ed  the  tall  mountain  tops,  and  a 
slight  drizzle  had  set  in,  which  excused  our  friends  from 
a  too  early  appearance  ;  but  at  the  third  hour  the  mist 


1.><H7. 
|)i'C.  !'. 

siiiiia. 


m 


ft' 


m 


iilil 


i 

.Ml 


1887. 

I>.'C.    10 

sunia. 


.".U 


7A'   DA II REST  AFItlCA. 


clcanMl  away,  and  the  oiitlim'  of  the  t'litiiv  raii^c  \V!ih 
clear  auaiiist  a  [)al('  liltu'  sky.  Licutonaiit  Stairs,  .Mr. 
.I('[»lis(»ii,  and  myself,  were  out  at  the  extreme  west  end 
of  the  .s|)ur  enjoyin,u'  tlie  splendid  \ie\v.  a<lmirin_u'  the 
seeneiy,  and  wonderinii  when  such  a  heautiful  land 
would  Itecome  the  homesteads  of  civilizcil  settlers. 
Stairs  thought  that  it  vesemhlecl  New  Zealand,  and  said 
that  he  would  not  mind  |)ossessin<i'  a  ranche  here.  He 
actually  went  so  far  as  to  locate  it,  and  pointed  out  the 
most  desirahle  spot.  "  On  that  little  hill  I  would  huild 
mv  house  "^ — "Shehano"  he  called  it.  i  wonder  if  that 
is  a  New  Zealand  term  for  a  \illa — "  There  I  would  herd 
my  cattle  ;  my  sheep  could  hrowse  on  the  mountain 
slo[)e  hehind.  and " 

But  meantime  the  natives  had  appeared  (m  the  orests 
of  the  mountain  in  lengthy  columns,  converuin^'  towards 
a  common  centre — a  butt  end  of  a  truncated  hill — a 
thousand  yards  in  an  air  line  from  where  we  stood,  and 
a  voice  like  that  of  a  mol)  orator,  clear  and  harmonious, 
])roke  (»n  our  ear.  It  proceeded  from  a  man  who,  with 
a  few  companions,  had  descended  to  ahout  .'500  feet 
above  the  valley.  He  was  ten  minutes  spe'iking,  and 
Fetteh  had  been  brought  to  listen  and  translate. 
Fetteli  said  that  he  commanded  peace  in  the  name  of 
the  kino' ;  but  stran<4e  to  say,  no  sooner  had  the  man 
concluded  his  speech  than  loud,  responsive  yells  rose 
from  the  valley  in  a  hideous  and  savaue  clamour,  and 
then  from  every  mountain  top,  and  from  the  slopes 
there  was  a  re-echo  of  the  savage  outburst. 

We  surmised  that  sueh  forceful  veiling  eould  not 
signal  a  2)eace,  but  rather  war  ;  and  in  order  to  make 
sure,  sent  Fetteh  down  into  the  valley  l)elow  the  speaker 
to  ask  him.  The  replies  from  the  natives  left  us  no 
room  to  doubt.  The  two  sounds — Kanwana,  "  peace,"  and 
Kurwana,  "  war,"  v*-ere  so  similar  that  tliev  had  occasioned 
Fetteh's  error. 

"  We  do  not  want  your  friendship,"  they  cried.  "  We 
are  comini-'  (h>wii  to  you  shortly  to  drive  vou  out  of 
your  camp  with  our  herdsmen's  staffs."  And  a 
treacherous  fellow,  \vho  had  crawled  under  cover  of  low 


IF'/;  Disi'Ensi-:  Till':  sativics. 


;ii. 


l.u.^1 


I.  (ainc  near  causiiiu  us  a  scvcrr  loss     our  lutt'ipiclcr      i» 


csiM'ciallv  liaNiUL::  an  t'xci'ci 


|M( 


■kc.l 


liiiul 
il    J 


y  narrow  t'scaju 


l'\>rt 


ii|)  till'   arrows  and    hrouglit    tuoni    to  us,  a 
I  h 


ell 
nd 


(It'livcrcil  nis  news 

Tlicre  was  tluMi  no  alternative  lait  to  in 

I 


fhVt 


an  cxeni- 


plarv  lesson  upon  them;  and  we  incparcd  to  carrv  d 
out  without  losing'  a  moment  ol"  time,  and  with  the 
utmost  vigour,  unless  chiM-ki'd  hy  proH'crs  of  amity. 

The  (•om])anies  were  mustere«l.  and  Ht'ty  I'iHes  were  led 
out    l»y  [jieutenant   Stairs   towards    those  clistinate  and 
on  the  other  side  ot"  the   Ituri   hi'aneh.      A 


fell 


ows 


fierce 

party  of  thirty  rities  were  sent  under  Mr.  Jephson  to 
skirmish  u[)  the  slopes  to  the  left  ;  and  twenty  })i('ked  men 
were  sent  with  Tledi  to  make  u  demonstration  to  the  riiiht. 
Rashid  was  ordered  with  ten  men  to  the  top  of  Nzera- 
Kuni  to  ,u'iiard  auainst  surprise  from  that  (piarter, 
Jephson  and  Idedi  would  l)e  marchinii'  to  their  p(»sitions 
unohserved  ;)y  the  mountaineers,  hecause  the  crowns  of 
the  forehills  would  ol»sti'uct  the  view,  and  would  ap- 
))roach  to  them  within  200  yards  without  l>ein<»'  seen, 
while  Lieutenant  Stairs'  company,  liein^'  further  out  in 
the  valley,  would  altsorh  their  attention. 

in  a  few  minutes  Stairs'  ecmipany  was  hotly  enoaued. 


Th 


le  natives  received  our  men  with  cool  determination 
for  a  few  minutes,  and  shot  their  arrows  in  literal  showers  ; 
hut  the  Lieutenant,  perceivin<2;  that  their  coolness  rose 
from  the  knowledge  that  there  was  a  considerahle  stream 
interveiiino'  between  them  and  his  company,  cheered  his 


men 


to  charoe  across  the  river.      His  men  oheved  hi 


m. 


and  as  they  ascended  the  o[)posite  hank  o[)ened  a 
witherinu;  fire  whicli  in  a  few  seconds  l)roke  up  the  nest 
of  refractory  and  turl)ulent  fellows  who  had  cried  out  so 
loudlv  for  wai'.  The  villaiie  was  taken  with  a  rush  :ind 
the  haiiana  ])lantations  scourech     The  natives  hroke  out 


into    the    o[)en 


on 


a    run,    and    tied    far    northwartl. 


Lieutenant  Stairs  then  collectetl  his  men.  set  tire  to  the 
villao-e,  and  proceeded  to  the  assault  of  other  settlemeids, 
rattlino-  volleys  from  the  company  announcing  the 
resistance  they  met. 

Meanwhile,  fledi's  party  of  elioseii  men  iiad  discovered 


Dec.  lo, 

riiiiii>- 

suina. 


mi 


!  ! 


H 


IN  DA  BREST  AFRICA. 


U\       tfj 

m 

\ 

■ 

fl 

1  III 


1887. 
Dec.  10 

Undus- 


a  path  leadiiio-  up  the  niouiitaiii  ah)ni»'  a  spur,  and  after 
ascending  500  feet,  led  his  men  up  into  view  on  the 
right  flank  of  the  niol)  ohservino-  and  eheerino'  their 
eountrymen  in  the  valley.  The  Winchesters  v.ere  worked 
most  handsomely.  At  the  same  time  IVlr.  Jephson's 
party  came  out  of  the  left  ravine,  and  together  they  had 
such  a  disastrous  effect  (m  the  nerves  of  the  natives  that 
they  fled  furiously  up  the  slopes,  Uledi  and  Ins  men 
chasing  tlicvi. 

J\Ir.  Jephson,  after  seeing  them  in  full  flight, 
faced  eastward,  and  pushed  on  for  tw<)  miles,  clearing 
every  inhabitant  out.  By  1  p.m.  all  our  men  were 
in  camp,  with  only  one  man  slightly  wounded.  Every 
man  had  ])ehaved  wonderfully  well ;  even  the  four 
cowards,  who  had  been  marked  men,  had  distinguished 
themselves. 

At  2  P.M.,  the  natives  in  the  valley  having  returned, 
each  party  was  despatched  (jiice  again.  Stairs  led  his 
men  across  the  Ituri  branch,  and  followed  the  running 
fugitives  far  northward,  then  veered  sharply  round  to 
jvr^n  Je})lison,  who  had  continued  his  way  eastward. 
Uledi's  scouts  were  sent  up  to  the  very  summit  of 
the  mountain  ranue  ;  but  on  observino'  the  immense 
numl)er  of  homesteads  that  dotted  it,  he  prudently 
halted. 

Until  the  afternoon  the  contest  continued  ;  the  natives 
wn'e  constantly  on  tlie  run,  charging  or  retreating.  By 
evening  not  one  was  in  sight,  and  the  silence  around 
our  camp  was  significant  of  the  day's  dcings.  The 
inliabitants  were  on  the  mountains  or  far  removed  east- 
ward and  northward.  In  the  vallev  around  us  there 
was  not  a  hut  left  standing  to  be  a  cover  during  the 
night.  The  lesson,  we  felt,  was  not  coinj)lete<l.  We 
sliouhl  have  to  return  by  that  route.  In  the  natural 
course  of  things,  if  we  met  many  tribes  of  tlie  (|uality  of 
this,  we  should  lose  many  men,  and  if  we  left  them  in 
the  least  doubt  of  our  ability  to  protect  ourselves,  we 
should  have  to  re[)eat  our  day's  work.  It  was,  therefore, 
far  more  merciful  to  finish  tlie  affair  thoroughly  before 
leaving  a   tribe    in    un whipped   insolence    in    our    icai'. 


PEACE  APdlAXGED. 


8i: 


Tlie  natives  must  have  entertained  an  idea  tliat  \vc 
conld  not  tight  outside  our  ])usli  fence,  wliieh  accounts 
for  their  tall  talk  of  driving  us  out  witli  sticks,  and  that 
they  were  safe  on  the  mountains.  We  were  compelled 
to  root  out  the  idea  that  they  could  harm  us  in  any 
way. 

A  cow  neglected  l)y  her  owner  was  burnt  in  one  of 
the  villages  close  hy,  and  furnished  us  with  a  second 
limited  ration  of  roast  l)eef. 

On  the  11th  it  rained  again  durinij;  the  earlvmornino- 
which    kept    us    indoors    until    10   a.m.      Some   natives 
having  then  come  out  to  demonstrate  their  hostility  on 
the  mountains,  Stairs,  Jephson  and   Uledi 
led  their  men  up  the  mountain  slopes  in 
tln-ee  separate  small  columns  to  the  attack, 
and  made  a  successful   tour  among  their 
stronghoM.      A    small  flock   of  goats   was 
cjiptured,  and  distributed  to  the  men,  and 
our  experiences  of  this  day  satisfied   the 
natives  that  they  luid  nothing  to  gain  by 
figiiting. 

At  one  time  it  appeared  as  though  the 
day  would  end  with  reconciliation,  for  a 
native  stood  on  a  his»h  hill  above  our 
position  after  all  had  reached  camp,  and 
announced  that  he  had  been  sent  hy 
Abizamboni  to  say  that  he  received  our 
gifts,  but  that  he  had  been  prevented  from 
visiting  us  according  to  promiise  by  the 
clamour  of  his  vounu'  men,  who  insist('<l  on  fiuiiting. 
Hut  now,  as  many  of  them  hail  been  kiliecK  he  was 
ready  to  pay  triliute,  and  be  a  true  friend  in  future. 

We  replied  that  we  were  agreeabk'  to  peace  and  friend- 
shi[)  witli  them,  but  as  they  had  mocked  us,  kept  our 
peace  presents,  and  then  scornfully  called  us  women, 
they  must  purchase  peace  with  cattle  or  goats,  and  if 
they  held  u})  grass  in  their  hands  they  could  npj)roach 
without  feai'. 

It  should  be  mentione(l  that  when  the  warrioi's  de- 
scen«led  the  mountaiu   slopes  for  the   tight,  every  little 


SHI  1:1,1 1  111'  THE 
KIICK  (IK  THK 
I'l.AINS. 


1H87. 
Di'iv  10. 

Undus- 
.sunia. 


1 


li'i 


(  • 


( 


ill 


''  I 


[f 


t  m"  f** 


.  ^^ 


41' 


1H87. 
Dec,  11. 

Undus- 
suma. 


318 


IX   DARKEST  AFlilVA. 


S(|uad  of  men  was  accompanied  l»y  a  laroe  liound,  of 
somewliat  slender  1)uild,  l)ut  couraoeous,  and  prompt  to 
attack. 

The  arms  of  the  Wazam'icmi  consisted  of  long  l)ows 
five  and  a  lialf  feet  long,  and  arrows  twenty-eight 
inches  long,  Itesides  a  long  sharp  spear.  Tlieir  shields 
were  long  and  narrow  generally,  bnt  there  were  many  of 
the  true  Tganda  type.  The  arrows  were  cruelly  l)arl)ed, 
and  the  spear  was  similar  to  that  of  Karagwe,  Uhha, 
Uruiidi,  and  Ihanu'iro. 


"o^^;1 


VIKW    OK    THi;    «(UTH    i:\T>   oK    AI.BKliT    KYANZA.      (.»<(-»'  ^/a^c  S06.) 


'        I 


M\ 


1 

"'Fi 

1 
i 

1 
1 

1 

1 

CHAPTER  XII. 


ARRIVAL  AT  LAKH  ALBERT,  AND  Ul'R  RKTl'RN  To  IDWIRL 

"We  arc  furthei"  annoyed  hy  tlie  natives— Tluii'  villapcs  fired — (lavira's 
villauc — We  keep  the  natives  at  bay — IMatran  of  I'liyoro  in  view 
Ni^-lit  attack  liy  tl..'  natives— The  villaoc  of  Katonza's — I'ark'v  witli 
the  natives — No  news  of  tl'e  Paslia  -Our  sn|)])iy  of  cartvidu-es-W'c 
eonsidei'  onr  ])osition — Lientenant  Stairs  eonverscs  witii  the  |hm)|i1(' 
of  Kasenva  Island — The  only  sensible  conrse  left  us — Auain  attaeUed 


nv  natives —Sceiierv  on  the  lake's  shore — We  cliinli  a  iiionntaii 


A 


rich  discovery  of  ^^rain — The  rieli  valli'v  of  Undussnnia — Our  return 
journey  to  Ihwiri— The  construction  of  Fort  13odo. 

On   the    12th   Decenilter  wo  left  camj)  at  dawn  witliont      isst 
disturbance,  or  heariiio'  a  siiiolc  xoice.  aii<l  lip  to  1)  a.m. 
it  did  not  a])pear  as  if  anvhody   was  astir   throuuiiout 
the  valley.     Our  road  led  E.  Ity  S.  and  di[)])e(l  down  int 


(> 


d 


lavnies,   and  narrow  valievs.  < 


lown  which  its  ti'i!)Utari 


cs 


from  the  mountain  ranoe  and  its  many  o()i'u('s  Howe(l 
undei*  depths  of  junoie.  hush,  and  I'eed-cane.  Mllaucs 
were  seen  nestlin^'  amid  ahundance,  and  we  left  them 
unmolested  in  the  hope  that  the  wild  people  miuht  i-ead 


that 


wlien 


left 


alone  we  were   an   cxti'emeK'  inoth'nsi\( 


hand  of  men.  But  at  nine  o'clock,  the  chill  of  the  morninu' 
ha\ino'  disa[)[)eared.  we  heard  the  first  war-cries. and  t  race(l 
them  toa  laroc  oroup  of  vilhiLi'es  that  crowne(l  a  (hdadied 
line  of  hills  occupying' the  foreuround  of  the  I  iidussuma 
ranoe.  Perceivino'  that  we  continued  our  mai'ch  withoiit 
ippearinv   to    notice    them,    they   ad.vanced    l>oldl\-    and 


li 


ON' ere 


11  oui'  riiiiit  flank  and  rear 


IW  1  1  A.M.  tliere  were  two  separate  hands  of  native 


wiio 


folh 


owe(|  us  verv  nersis 


P 


^tent^ 


le  liau  come  from 


the  eastwai'd.  the  other  was  forme(l  out  of  I  he  po|>uk'ilion 
of  the  villaoes  in  the  \alle\-  that  we  had  left  undamaued 
and  intact. 


1 ',■,•.  i-j, 

(javir.'i 


'  ,    i'  ' 


\    ."  t 


m 


i-» 


i(il  M 


'-.  ( 


I! 


rl^l 


.'II, 


'"-r 


m !  I 


:.j:,l. 


i« 

1 1 

1    ■, 

i    ■ 

1 

-S    1 

jl 

Dec.  12 
G.i 


;}20 


7.V  DARKEST  AFEICA. 


1887.^        By  noon  tliese  bands  had  increased  into  numerous  and 
frantic  mo]>s,  and  some   of  them  cried  out,  "We  will 


pr 


ove  to  vou  l)efore  nio-ht  that  we  are  men,  and  eveiv 


one  of  you  shall  perish  to-<hiy." 

At  this  hour,  refreshed  hy  our  halt,  we  resumed  the 


march 


th 


u'ouiiU    a    liTassv    wilderness 


Ich 


Tl 


lere  were  no 


villajxes  in  view  on  either  liaiKJ,  lait  the  niohs  followed 


us,  now  aiK 


1th 


d 


len  "lakinu'  demonstrations,  and  annovnit'' 


1 


us  with  their  harsh  cries  and  menaces.  An  expert  shot 
left  the  line  of  march,  and  wounded  two  of  them  at  a 
ranoe  of  400  yards.  This  silenced  them  for  awhile,  as 
thouo'ii  they  were  a])sorl)ed  in  woiiderin*;'  what  missile 
could  inflict  injuries  at  such  a  distance.  But  soon  their 
numbers  received  fresh  accessions,  and  their  au(hicity 
became  more  markeih  The  rear-^uard  band  presently 
were  heard  firiiio-,  and  possibly  with  effect ;  at  any  rate 
it  was  clear  they  had  received  a  check. 

Finallv,  at  8.;i0,  we  came  in  view  of  the  Bavira  villaues 


-the   chief  of  whom   is  called  (Javira — situated 


on  an 


open  plain  and  occu})yin_u'  both  banks  of  a  deep  and 
precipitous  ravine  hollowed  out  of  the  clay  by  a  con- 
siderable tributary  of  the  East  [turi.  We  in  the  front 
halted  on  the  eastern  Itaiik.  as  the  natives — too  tardy 
to  effect  anything — came  rusliinu'  down  to  prevent  the 
crossing'.  Loads  were  at  once  dropped,  skirmishers  were 
despatched  from  the  advance  to  recross  the  river,  and  to 
assist  the  rear  guanb  and  a  smart  scene  of  battle-])lay 


occu 


rrecb  nt   the  end  of  which  the  natives  retreated 


on 


the  full  run.  T(^  punish  them  for  four  hours'  persecution 
of  us  we  turned  al)out  and  set  fire  to  every  hut  on  either 
bank,  then  reforming  we  hastened  up  a  stec))  hilly 
plateau,  that  rose  200  feet  above  the  plain,  to  meet  the 
natives  who  had  gathered  to  oppose  us.  Long,  however, 
l)efore  we  couhl  reach  the  summit  thev  abandoned  their 


I 


)osition   aiK 


1   left 


us  to  occupy  a  village  in  ])eace. 


It 


being  now  a  late  hour  we  camped,  and  <»u)'  first  duty  was 
to  rendei'  our  (juarters  safe  against  a  night  attack. 

Tt  should  be  observed  that  up  to  the  moment  of  firing 


tl 


le    villau'cs. 


the    fi 


urv  of  the  natives  seenu 


d  to  1 


)e  m- 


creasiuii',  but  the  instant  the  flames  were  seen  devouring 


nil 


J' til    ■ 


rfAVfliA'S    VILLAGE. 


-".2 1 


their  homes   the  fury  ceased,  hy  which  we  learned  that 
fire  had  a  remarka1»le  sethitive  iiiHiieiice  on  their  nerves. 

The  viUage  of  (Javira's,  wherein  we  slept  that  niyht, 
was  4,057  feet  above  the  sea.  It  had  been  a  tine  day 
for  travel,  and  a  S.E.  hreeze  was  most  cooling.  Without 
it  we  sliould  have  suffered  fi'om  the  great  heat.  xVs  the 
sun  set  it  became  very  cold  ;  by  midnight  the  tem[)ci'a- 
ture  was  00°.  We  had  travelled  nine  miles,  and  mostly 
all  complained  of  fatigui'  from  the  marching  and  constant 
excitement. 

On  the  I'Uh  we  set  off  easterly  a  little  after  dawn,  in 
order  that  we  might  cover  some  distance  before  the 
aborigines  ventured  out  into  the  cold  r.ivv  air  of  the 
morning.  The  short  pasture  grass  was  beaded  with 
dew,  and  wet  as  with  rain.  The  rear  guard,  after  dis- 
arranging our  nif'iht'  defences  that  the  natives  mioht  not 
understand  the  manner  of  them,  soon  overtook  us,  and 
we  left  the  district  in  compact  order  i-eady  for  fresh 
adventures.  Qntil  the  third  hour  of  the  moi'ning  we 
were  permitted  to  travel  amid  scenes  of  peaceful  stillness. 
We  enjoyed  the  prospects,  had  time  to  note  the  features 
of  the  great  plain  north  of  East  Ituri,  and  to  admire  the 
multitude  of  hilly  cones  that  bounded  the  northern 
horizon,  to  observe  liovr  the  lines  of  conical  hills  massed 
themselves  into  a  solid  and  unbroken  front  to  the  east  and 
west ;  how  to  the  south  of  us  the  surface  of  the  land  was  a 
series  of  great  waves  every  hollow  of  which  had  its  own 
particular  stream  ;  and  how%  about  five  miles  off.  the 
mountain  range  continued  from  Undussumr,  East  to  the 
Balegga  country,  whose  summits  we  knew  so  well,  formed 
itself  into  btndike  curves  wherein  numerous  settlements 
found  water  and  sweet  grass  for  theii-  cattle  and  moisture 
for  their  millet  fields, and  finally])rolonged  itself,  rounding 
northward  until  its  exti'emity  stood  east  of  us.  Hence 
we  observed  that  the  direction  we  travelled  would  take 
us  before  manv  hours  between  the  northei-n  and  southern 
ranges,  to  the  top  of  a  saddle  that  a[)peare(l  to  (-onnect 
them.  A  grou})  of  villages  situated  on  the  skyline  of 
this  saddle  was  our  objective  point  at  present,  until  we 
could  take  further  bearings  thence. 

Vol   t.  X 


1H87. 
Doc.  12. 

(iavira. 


I 


\il 


If 


MP    rr 


I   ' 


^i^  1i*^  !'i 


liil 


1m 


■jHmii 


822  IN  DABKEST  AFRICA. 

1887.  But   at   9   A.M.   tlie    natives    l)egaii  to  stir  and  look 

Dec.  i.i.  j|j.f)un(l.  Every  feature  of  the  wide  landscape  heing 
"'"'  then  free  from  mist  and  fog.  (Jur  long  serpent-like  line 
of  men  was  soon  detected  and  hailed  with  war-cries, 
uttered  with  splendid  force  of  lungs,  that  drew  hundreds 
of  hostile  eyes  hurning  with  ferocity  and  hate  upon  us. 
Village  after  village  was  passed  by  us  untouched,  ])ut 
this,  as  we  experienced  the  day  befcn'e,  they  did  not  place 
to  our  credit,  hut  rather  debited  us  with  pusillanimity, 
all  reports  of  their  neighbours  notwithstanding.  We  felt 
it  in  our  veins  that  we  were  l)eing  charoed  with  weakness. 
A  (;rowd  of  fifty  natives  stood  aside,  800  yards  from  our 
path,  observant  of  our  conduct.  They  saw  us  defile 
throuo-h  their  settlements  with  kindlv  regard  for  their 
property,  and  eyes  fixed  straight  before  us,  intent  on  our 
own  l)usiness  of  travel  onl}\  Far  from  accepting  ti  is  as 
.n  proof  that  there  was  s(mie  virtue  in  us,  they  ci  )sed 
behind  the  column,  loudly  and  imperiously  summoned 
their  countrymen  to  gather  together  and  surround  us — a 
call  their  countrymen  appeared  only  too  willing  to  ij])ey. 
As  soon  as  they  deemed  their  num1)ers  strong  enough  to 
take  the  offensive,  they  charged  on  the  rear  guard,  which 
act  was  instantly  responded  to  by  good  practice  with 
rifies. 

E\'ery  half-hour  there  was  a  stieam  at  the  l)ottom  of 
its  own  valley,  and  a  l)readth  of  cane-brake  on  either 
•side  of  the  brook,  which  required  great  caution  to  keep 
the  impulsive  natives  at  bay. 

That  group  of  villages  on  the  skyline  already  men- 
tioned, connectino;  the  now  converijino;  lines  of  hills 
to  north  and  south  of  us,  became  more  and  more  dis- 
tinct as  we  steadily  pressed  on  eastward,  and  I  began 
to  feel  a  presentiment  that  before  another  hour  was 
ptissed,  we  should  see  the  Albert  Nyanza.  But  as 
though  there  was  scmie  great  treasure  in  our  front,  or  as 
if  Eniin  Pasha  and  his  garrison  found  himself  in  the 
position  of  (jiordim  during  his  hist  hours  at  Khartoum, 
and  these  were  the  ])eleaguering  hosts,  the  natives  waxed 
l)older  and  more  determined,  increased  in  numbers 
faster,  the  war-cries  were  incessantly   A'ociferatv-^d  from 


i^-  >fcii   I  M__ 


WE  KEEP    THE  NATIVES  AT  BAY. 


.S28 


every  eminence,  <j,T(>up.s  of  men  })e('cime  m<)l)s,  and 
finally  we  became  conscious  that  a  supreme  efibrt  was 
al)()Ut  to  be  made  l»y  them.  AVe  cast  our  eyes  about 
and  saw  each  elevation  black  with  masses  of  men,  while 
the  ])road  and  rolling  plain  showed  lines  of  figures,  like 
armies  of  ants  travelling  t(nvards  us. 

At  11  A.M.  we  were  near  the  crest  of  the  last  ridge 
intervening  between  us  and  the  saddle  which  we  were 
aiming  for,  when  we  caught  a  view  of  a  small  army 
advancing  along  a  road,  which,  if  continued,  would 
soon  cross  our  track  on  the  other  side  of  the  stream 
that  issued  from  this  ridge.  The  attacking  point  I 
felt  sure  would  be  a  knoll  alwve  the  source  of  the 
stream.  The  advance  guard  was  about  a  hundred 
yards  from  it,  and  these  were  ordered  when  abreast 
of  the  knoll  to  wheel  sharply  to  the  right,  and  stack 
goods  on  its  summit,  and  the  word  was  passed  to 
close  files. 

As  we  arrived  at  the  summit  of  the  knoll,  tlie  head  of 
the  native  army,  streaming  thickly,  was  at  the  f(..>t  of 
it  on  the  other  side,  and  without  an  instant's  hesitation 
both  sides  began  the  ccmtest  simultaneouslv,  but  the 
rapid  fire  of  the  Winchesters  w^as  altogether  Urn  much 
for  them,  for,  great  as  was  the  power  of  the  united  voices, 
the  noise  of  the  Winchesters  deafened  and  confused 
them,  while  the  fierce  hissing  of  the  storm  of  bullets 
paralysed  the  bravest.  The  advance  guard  rushed  down 
the  slopes  towards  them,  and  in  a  few  seconds  the 
natives  turned  their  backs  and  bounded  awav  with  the 
speed  of  anteh)pes.  Our  men  pursued  them  for  about  a 
mile,  but  returned  at  the  recall,  a  summons  thev  obeved 
with  the  precision  of  soldiers  at  a  review,  which  })leased 
me  more  even  than  the  gallantry  they  had  displa}ed. 
The  greatest  danger  in  reality  with  half-disciplined  men 
is  the  inclination  to  follow  the  chase,  without  regard  to 
the  design  the  enemy  may  have  in  view  by  sudden 
Higlit.  It  frecjuently  happens  that  the  retreat  is  efi'ecte<l 
for  a  ruse,  and  is  often  practised  in  Li^ganda.  On  this 
occasion  forty  men  were  chasing  500,  while  1,500  natives 
at  least  were  certainly  surveying  the  field  on  a  hill  to 


1H87. 
Dec.  13. 

Laku  i^iiiu. 


!hi 


\\' 


111 


i'^'  I 


I  ' 


;  i.. 


'ii|  'i'^ 


II 


iiiii 


824 


AV  DARKEHT  AFRICA. 


, 


Dec.  IM. 
Lake  I'lain, 


!'  !hl 


tlie  ri<;"lit  of  us,  and  a  similar  number  was  posted  to  the 
left  of  us. 

Aoaiii  we  re-formed  our  ranks,  and  marched  forward 
in  close  order  as  before,  but  at  12. .'30  halted  for  refresh- 
ments, witli  a  pretty  wide  cinde  around  us  now,  clear  of 
noisy  and  yelling  natives.  ( )ur  noon  halt  permitted 
them  to  collect  their  faculties,  but  though  they  were 
undoubtedly  sobered  by  the  events  of  the  morning  they 
still  threatened  us  with  imp  )sing  nund)ers  of  the  Balegga, 
Bavira,  and  Wabiassi  tribes. 

After  an  hour's  rest  tiie  line  of  march  was  resumed. 
AVe  found  an  exceedingly  well-trodden  path,  and  that  it 
was  appreciated  was  evident  from  the  rapid  and  elastic 
tread  of  the  column.  Within  fifteen  minutes  we  gained 
the  brow  of  the  saddle,  or  rather  plateau,  as  it  turned  out 
to  be,  and,  about  twenty-five  miles  away,  we  saw  a  dark 
blue  and  uniform  line  of  talde-land,  lifted  up  into  the 
clouds  and  appearing  portentously  h)fty.  The  men 
vented  a  murmur  of  discontented  surprise  at  the  sight 
of  it.  1  knew  it  was  Unyoro,  that  l)etween  us  and  that 
great  and  l)lue  tal>le-land  was  an  immense  and  deep  gulf, 
ijnd  that  at  the  bottom  of  this  gulf  was  the  Albert.  For 
there  seemed  to  be  nothing  else  before  us,  neither  hill, 
ridge,  or  elevati(jn.  but  that  distant  immense  dark  blue 
mass ;  the  eastern  slopes  of  the  northern  and  southern 
ranges  dipped  down  steeply  as  it  were  into  a  gulf  or 
profoundly  deep  valley.  Our  people,  on  viewing  the 
plateau  of  Unyoro  in  the  distance,  cried  out  in  a  vexed 
manner  "  Alashallah  !  but  this  Nyanza  keeps  going- 
further  and  further  away  from  us  ;  "  but  I  cheered  them 
up  with,  "  Keep  your  eyes  open,  boys  !  You  may  see  the 
Nyanza  any  minute  now,"  which  remark,  like  many 
others  tending  to  encourage  them,  was  received  with 
HTunts  of  unl)elief. 

But  every  step  we  now  took  proved  thai  "^  were 
approaching  an  umisually  deep  valley,  or  the  X^yanza, 
for  higher  and  higher  rose  the  Unyoro  plateau  into  view, 
lower  and  lower  descended  the  slopes  on  either  hand  of 
our  road,  until  at  last  all  eyes  rested  on  a  grey  cloud,  or 
vdiat  is  it,  mist  ?     Nay,  it  is  the  Nyanza  sleeping  in  the 


\  to  tlie 

forward 
refresh- 
clear  of 
rmitted 
ly  were 
no-  they 
ialeo'ffii, 

esumed. 

I  that  it 

I  ehistie 

;  gained 

•lied  out 

r  a  dark 

into  the 

lie   men 

he  siolit 

md  that 

ep  gulf, 

rt.     For 

her  hill, 

rk  l»lue 

)uthern 

gulf  or 

ang   the 

a  vexed 

going 

2d  them 

.see  the 

many 

3d  with 

'^.  were 
^yanza, 
to  View, 
hand  of 
loud,  or 
L»'  in  the 


%4 


s 


C<9 


a 


5^ 


!ii 


"3  i!'H 


fills  •«! 


'.Mill 


11 


iliNi 


l^iflii 


IM; 


FIRST    VIEW   OF   TIIE   ALIihirr   .V)'J.V/J.  :',27 

haze,  for,  looking'  to  the  uortli-easlwanl  it  was  the 
colour  of  the  ocean.  The  men  ^azcd  upon  tlie  hike  fnlly 
two  minutes  before  thev  realised  that  what  they  looked 
u[)on  was  water,  and  then  they  relieved  their  feelings 
with  eheers  and  enthusiastic  shouts. 

We  continued  our  pace  a  few  minutes  longei',  until  we 
stood  on  the  verge  of  the  descent  from  the  plateau,  and 
near  a  small  village  [)erche(l  on  this  exposed  situation  we 
made  a  short  halt  to  take  hearings,  inspect  aneroids,  and 
reflect  a  little  u})on  our  next  ste[). 

Though  the  people  were  shouting  and  dancing,  and 
thronging  around  me  with  con<'ratulations  for  havin*"' 
''hit  the  exact  spot  so  well,"  a  chill  came  over  me,  as 
I  thought  of  the  very  slight  chance  there  was,  in  such  u 
country  as  this,  of  finding  a  canoe  fit  to  navigate  the 
rough  waters  of  the  Albert.  With  my  glass  I  scruti- 
nized anxiously  the  distant  shore  of  the  iiake,  hut  1 
could  not  see  any  canoe,  neither  could  I  see  a  single  tree 
in  all  the  long  stretch  of  slope  and  extended  ])lain  of  a 
size  suitable  for  a  canoe,  and  the  thought  that,  after  all, 
our  forced  march  and  continual  iightinu'  and  sacrifice  of 
life  would  be  in  vain,  struck  me  for  the  first  time,  even 
while  upon  every  man's  lips  was  the  pious  ejaculation, 
■•  Thank  (Jod." 

And  yet  it  was  just  possible  we  might  be  able  to  buy 
a  canoe  with  brass  rods  and  some  red  cloth.  It  would 
be  too  hard  if  our  long  travels  hither  were  to  be  (juite  in 
vain. 

The  scene  I  looked  upon  was  very  ditterent  to  what  1 
had  anticipated.  I  had  circumnavigated  the  A'ictoria 
Nyanza  and  the  Tanganika,  and  1  had  viewed  the  Muta 
Xzige'  from  a  plateau  somewhat  similar  to  this,  and 
canoes  were  procurable  (m  either  Lake  ;  and  (m  the  ^  ictoria 
and  Tanixanika  it  \vould  not  be  difficult,  after  a  little 
search,  to  find  a  tree  large  enough  for  cutting  out  a 
canoe.  But  1  saw  here  about  twenty  miles  of  most 
barren  slopes,  rugged  with  great  rocks,  and  furrowed 
with  steep  ravines  and  waten-ourses,  whose  l)anks  showed 
a  thin  fringe  of  miserable  bush,  and  between  them  were 
steeply  descending  sharp  and  long  spurs,  either  c(jvered 


IKH". 

Doc.  i;i. 

Allicrk 
Nyiinza. 


Il     '       t 


I   1 11 


iWW 


mm 


.     1 

1 1 

:  11 

u 

»^-..:w 

i,     ! 


n 


II]  nil 


mm  m 


III 


1887. 
Dee.  IH. 

All)nrt 
Nv;iU/::i 


.^28 


7iV   DARKEST  ArniCA. 


witli  rocky  and  clayey  deln-is  or  tall  _i>rccii  ^rass.  Be- 
tween tlie  hase  of  this  len^ytliy  tall  of  sloj)e  and  the  T^ake 
was  a  ])lain  alxiiit  fiNc  or  six  miles  in  Itreadrh.  and  a])ont 
twenty  miles  lon_u',  most  pleasant  to  look  ujxtn  from  the 
irreat  altitude  we  were  on.  it  resembled  a  well-woode<l 
pai'k  land,  Itut  the  trees  s[)read  out  their  hranchcs 
too  liroadlv  to  j)()ssess  the  desiralde  stems.  They 
appeared  to  me  to  he  more  like  acacia,  and  thorn- 
trees  and  scrub,  which  would  be  utterly  useless  for  our 
})ur))ose. 

Our  anei'oids  indicated  an  altitude  of  a. 000  feet,  Tlu* 
islet  marked  on  Mason's  chart  as  near  Kavalli  bore  E.S.  E., 
ma<xnetic,  about  six  miles  from  our  i)osition.  Lavinu' 
Colonel  Mnson's  chai't  of  the  Albert  Nyanza  before  us,  we 
compared  it  with  what  was  spi-ead  so  largely  and  L>randly 
over  2,500  feet  ]»elow  us,  and  we  were  forced  to  bear 
witness  to  the  remarkable  accuracy  of  his  survey.  Here 
and  there  scmie  tritlin_i»'  islets  and  two  or  three  small  in- 
lets of  the  Lake  into  that  singular  sunken  plain  which 
formed  the  boundary  of  tlu»  Lake  as  its  southerly  extremity 
were  observed  as  (miissions. 

I  had  often  wondered  at  8ir  Samuel  Baker's  descrip- 
tion of  the  Al])ert  Nyanza's  extension  towards  the  south- 
west, i^erhaps  oftener  aftei-  (\)lonel  Mason's  niysteriously 
brusque  way  of  circumscril)inu'  its  '"  illimitability,"  but  [ 
can  feel  pure  sympathy  with  tlie  discoverer  now,  despite 
the  terrible  "  cuttin<j;'  oft"'  to  whicli  it  has  ])een  subjected. 
For  the  effect  up(m  all  of  us  could  not  have  been  greater 
if  the  Albert  stretched  to  Khai'toum.  Whether  limited 
or  unlimited,  the  first  view  of  water  and  mountain  is 
noble,  and  even  inspiring'.  Even  at  its  extremity  the 
Lake  has  a  spacious  breadth,  but  as  we  follow  the  lines 
of  its  mountain  banks  the  breadth  widens  orandlv,  the 
silver  colour  of  its  shaUow  head  soon  chaniies  into  the 
deep  azui'e  of  ocean,  the  c(mtinuin_o'  expanding  breadth, 
immense  girdle  of  mountains  and  pale  sky,  lose  their 
outlines,  and  l)ec(mie  fused  into  an  indefinite  ])lueness  at 
the  sea-horizon  north-eastward,  through  which  we  may 
vainly  seek  a  limit. 

Our  point  of  observation  was  in  N.  Lat.  1°.  23'.00". 


'li!    Ih 


'!i!i : 


NATIVE   HOSTILITY  NEMi    THE  KYANZA. 


;;-j'.> 


Tlic  extreme  end  of  the  eastei'ii  end  of  the  lake  horc  S, K. 
luaunetic,  and  the  extreme  western  end  hore  S,  K.  and 
S. h].  l>y  S.  I^etween  the  two  extremities  there  were  ti\(' 
inlets,  one  of  which  reached  two  miles  further  south  than 
any  of  those  observed  points. 

The  tahlo-land  of  I'nyoro  maintained  an  almost  uniform 
level  as  far  as  we  could  see,  its  teiininahle  point  Iteinu' 
cut  off  from  view  hy  a  lar^e  shoulder  of  mountain,  thai 
tlirust  itself  forward  fnun  the  western  ran,o,e.  South- 
ward of  the  hike  and  hetween  these  opposinn'  heights— 
that  of  the  table-land  of  Tnyoro  on  the  east,  and  that  of 
the  table-land  on  the  west  extended  a  low  plain  which 
formerly,  l)Ut  not  recently,  must  have  been  inundated 
by  the  waters  of  the  lake,  but  now  was  (by  firm  oround, 
clothed  with  sere  o;rass,  gently  rising  as  it  receded  south, 
and  finally  producing  scrubby  wood,  acacia  and  thorn, 
like  the  terraee  directly  below  us. 

After  a  halt  of  about  twenty  mimites,  we  commenced 
the  descent  down  the  slopes  of  the  range.  Befoi'e  the 
rearguaid  under  Lieutenant  Stairs  had  left  the  s[)ot,  the 
natives  had  gathered  in  numbers  e(|ual  to  our  own.  an<l 
before  the  advance  had  deseended  500  feet,  they  li'i'l 
Iteo'un  to  annov  the  rearouard  in  a  manner  that  soon 
provoked  a  steady  tiring.  We  ^>elow  could  see  them 
spread  out  like  skirmishers  on  ])oth  flanks,  and  hanging 
to  the  rear  in  a  long  line  up  the  terribly  steep  and 
galling  path. 

While  they  shot  their  arrows,  and  crept  nearer  to 
their  intended  victims,  they  cried,  ""  Ka-hi-la  hclt  Iclo  T^ 
— "  Where  will  vou  sleei)  to-nioht  ?  Don't  vou  know 
you  are  surrounded  ?  We  have  you  now  where  we 
wanted  you." 

Our  men  were  not  a  whit  slow  in  replying,  "  Wherever 
we  sleep,  you  will  not  dare  come  neai'  ;  and  if  you  have 
got  us  where  you  wanted  us  to  ])e,  why  not  ccmie  on  at 
?" 

Though  the  firing  was  1)risk,  there  was  but  little  hurt 
done  ;  the  ground  was  adverse  to  steadiness,  and  on 
our  sivie  only  one  was  wounded  with  an  arrow,  but  the 
combat  kept  both  sides  lively  and  active.     Had  we  been 


once 


1««7. 
Dec.  VX 

AlluTt 
Nviinzii. 


m 


m 


i 


» 


\^\\\% 


if  iff  I 


11 


i\ 


1887. 
Dec.  1.'?. 

Albert 


7.V  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


un])ui'(lened  and  fresli,  very  few  of  these  pestilent  fellow.s 
would  have  lived  to  climl)  that  mountain  again. 

The  descent  was  continued  for  three  hours,  halting 
every  fifteen  minutes  to  repel  the  natives,  who,  to  the 
number  of  forty,  ov  thereabouts,  followed  us  down  to 
the  plain. 

JIalf  a  mile  from  the  base  of  the  mountain  we  crossed 
a  slightly  saline  stream,  which  had  hollowed  a  deep 
channel,  banked  ])y  preci])itous  and  in  some  place;;  per- 
pendicular walls  of  debris  50  feet  high,  on  either  side. 
( )n  the  edge  of  one  of  these  latter  walls  we  formed  a 
camp,  the  half  of  a  circle  beirig  thus  unassailal>le  ;  the 
other  half  we  soon  made  secure  with  brushwood  and 
material  from  an  abandoned  village  close  by.  Having 
observed  that  the  daring  natives  had  descended  into  the 
])lain,  and  knowing  their  object  to  be  a  night  attack,  a 
chain  of  sentries  were  posted  at  a  distance  from  the 
camp,  who  were  well  hiiUlen  by  the  grass.  An  hour 
after  dark  the  attack  was  made  by  the  band  of  natives, 
who,  trying  one  point  after  another,  were  exceedingly 
surprised  to  receive  a  fusilade  from  one  end  of  the  half 
circle  to  the  ^^tlier. 

This  ended  a  troublous  day,  and  the  rest  we  now 
sought  was  well  earned. 

Inspecting  the  anei'oid  on  reaching  the  camping- 
phice,  we  discovered  that  we  had  made  a  descent  of 
2,250  feet  since  we  had  left  our  post  of  observation  on 
the  verge  of  the  plateau  above. 

On  the  14th  we  left  the  base  of  the  plateau,  and 
marched  across  the  plain  that  gently  sloped  for  5  miles 
to  the  lake.  As  we  travelled  on,  we  examined  closely 
if  among  the  thin  forest  of  acacia  any  tree  would  likely 
be  available  for  a  canoe  ;  ])ut  the  plain  was  destitute  of 
all  but  acacia,  thorn-bush,  tamarind,  and  scrub — a  proof 
that  the  soil,  though  sulhciently  rich  for  the  hardier 
trees,  had  enough  acrid  properties-  niti-e,  alkali,  or 
salts — to  prevent  the  growth  of  tropical  vegetation. 
We,  however,  trusted  that  we  should  be  enjdded  to 
induce  the  natives  to  part  with  a  canoe,  or.  as  was  more 
likely.  [)robably  Emin  I'asha  had  visited  the  south  end 


I 


i)   : 


we  iK^w 


AX   rXWOMAXLY    VIRAGO. 


83  i 


of  the  lake,  accordinu-  to  my  i'e(|iiest,  aii(l.  liad  made 
arransiemeiits  witli  the  natives  for  our  reee})tioii.  If 
]iot,  why  ultimately  perhaps  we  should  have  legitimate 
excuse  for  taking  a  temporary  loan  of  a  canoe. 

Al>out  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  lake  we  heard  scmie 
natives  cutting  fuel  in  a  scruhhy  wood,  not  far  from  the 
road.  We  halted,  and  maintained  silence  while  the 
interpreter  attempted  to  ohtain  a  reply  to  his  friendly 
hail.  For  ten  minutes  we  remained  perfectly  still, 
waiting  until  the  person,  who  proved  to  ])e  a  woman, 
deigned  to  answer.  Then,  for  the  first  time  in  Africa, 
I  heard  as  gross  and  obscene  altuse  as  tlie  traditional 
tish woman  of  Billingsgate  is  supposed  to  be  capable  of 
uttering.  AVe  were  obliged  to  desist  from  the  task  of 
conciliating  such  an  unwomanly  virago. 

We  sent  the  interpreter  ahead  with  a  few  meii  to  the 
village  at  the  lake  side,  which  l>elonged  to  a  chief  called 
Katonza,  and  sometimes  Kaiya  Nkondo.  with  insuuc- 
tions  to  employ  the  utmost  art  possible  to  gain  the 
confidence  of  the  inhabitants,  and  bv  no  means  to  admit 
rebuff  ])y  words  or  threats,  hostile  action  only  to  be 
accepted  as  an  excuse  for  withdrawal.  We.  in  the 
meantime,  were  to  follow  slowly,  and  then  halt  until 
summoned,  close  to  the  settlement. 

The  villagers  were  discovered  totally  unconscious  of 
our  ap[)roach  and  neighbourhood.  Their  first  impulse, 
on  seeing  our  men,  was  to  tly  ;  but,  observing  that  they 
were  not  pursued,  they  took  position  on  an  anthill  at 
an  arrow-flights  distance,  more  out  of  curiosity  than 
goodwill.  Perceiving  that  our  men  were  obliging, 
[lolite,  and  altogether  harndess,  they  sanctioned  the 
a[)proach  of  the  caravan,  and  on  seeing  a  white  man 
they  were  induced  to  advance  neai',  while  assurances  of 
friendliness  were  being  assiduouslv  reiterated.  About 
forty  natives  mustered  courage  to  draw  near  for  easv 
parley,  and  then  hai-angues  and  counter-harangues,  from 
(»ne  side  to  the  other,  one  paity  vowing  by  their  lives, 
by  the  love  of  theii'  thi'oats.  by  the  blue  sky  above,  that 
no  harm  was  intende<l  or  evil  meditated  that  only 
friendship  and  goodwill  were  sought,  for  whii'h  due  gifts 


1887. 
Dec.  14. 

Albert 
Nvanza. 


j.     ' 


IIIM 


«  ! 


I 


I  t 


)  'i 


'm 


till! 


ill' 


I ; 


if 


1887. 
Dec.  U. 

Albert 
Nyanza. 


832 


7^"  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


would  be  given,  the  other  averring  that  though  their 
hesitation  might  be  misjudged,  and  possil)ly  attri])uted 
to  fear,  still  they  had  met — often  met — a  people  called 
the  Wara-Sura,  armed  with  guns  like  ours,  who  simply 
killed  people.  Perhaps,  after  all,  we  were  Wara-Sura, 
or  their  friends,  for  we  had  guns  also,  in  which  case 
they  were  quite  ready  to  light  the  instant  they  were 
assured  we  were  A\^ara-Sura  ov  their  allies. 

"  Wara-Sura  I  Wara-Sura  1  What  men  are  these  ? 
We  never  heard  of  the  name  l:tefore.  Whence  are 
they  ?"  &c.,  &c.,  and  so  on  unceasingly  for  three  mortal 
hours  in  the  hot  sun.  Our  cajolings  and  our  winsomest 
smiles  ])egan  to  appear  of  eifect,  but  they  suddenly 
assumed  moodiness,  and  expressed  their  suspi('ion  in  the 
harsh,  rasping  language  of  Unyoro,  whi(5h  grated  horribly 
on  the  hearing.  In  the  end  our  effort  was  a  ccmiplete 
failure.  We  had,  unknown  to  ourselves,  incurred  their 
suspi(;ion  ])y  speaking  too  kindly  of  Unyoro  and  of 
Kabba  Rega,  who,  we  found  later,  was  their  mortal 
enemy.  They  would  not  accept  our  friendship,  nor 
make  bloo(l-l)r()tlierliood,  nor  accept  even  a  gift.  They 
would  give  us  water  to  drink,  and  they  would  show  the 
path  along  the  lake. 

"  You  seek  a  white  man,  y(ju  say.  We  hear  there  is 
one  at  Kabba  Rega's  (Casati).  Many,  many  years  ago  a 
wliite  man  came  from  the  north  in  a  smoke-boat  (Mason 
Bey),  but  he  went  away,  but  that  was  when  we  were 
chihlren.  There  has  been  no  strange  boat  on  our  waters 
since.  We  hear  of  strange  peo})le  being  at  Buswa 
(Mswa),  but  that  is  a  long  way  from  here.  There  north- 
ward along  the  lake  lies  your  way.  All  the  wicked 
people  come  from  tliere.  We  never  heard  any  good 
of  men  who  came  in  from  the  Ituri  either.  The  Wara 
Sura  scmietimes  come  f"om  there." 

They  condescendcMl  to  sliow  us  the  path  leading  along 
the  shore  of  the  lake,  and  tlien  stood  aside  on  tlie  plain, 
bi(hling  us,  in  not  unfriendly  tones,  to  take  heed  of  our- 
selves, but  not  a  single  article  for  their  service  would 
they  acce[)t.  Wondering  at  their  extraordinary  manner, 
and  without  a  single  legitima'i'  excuse  to  (piarrei  with 


THE  MYSTERY  ABOUT  THE  PASHA. 


iioo 


them,  we  proceeded  on  our  way  meditatively,  with  most 
unhappy  feelings. 

Pondering  upon  the  strange  (K ad  stop  to  that  hopeful- 
ness which  had  hitherto  animated  us,  it  struck  us  that  a 
more  heartless  outlook  never  confronted  an  explorer  in 
wild  Africa  than  that  which  was  now  so  abruptly  revealed 
to  us.  From  the  date  of  leaving  f]nglan<l,  January  21, 
1887,  to  this  date  of  14th  December,  it  never  dawned  on 
us  that  at  the  very  goal  we  might  l)e  baiiied  so  com- 
pletely as  we  were  now.  There  was  only  one  comfort, 
however,  in  all  this  ;  there  was  henceforward  no  incerti- 
tude. We  had  hoped  to  have  met  news  of  the  Pasha  lici'e. 
A  governor  of  a  })r()vince,  with  two  steamers,  life-boats, 
jind  canoes,  and  thousands  of  jDeople  we  had  imagined 
would  have  been  known  evervwhere  on  su(.-li  a  small  lake 
as  the  Albert,  which  recpiired  only  two  days'  steaming  from 
end  to  end.  He  could  not,  or  he  would  not.  leave  AVadelai, 
or  he  knew  nothing  yet  of  our  coming.*  When  compelled 
through  excess  of  weakness  to  leave  our  steel  boat  at 
Ipoto,  we  had  hoped  one  of  three  things  :  either  that  the 
Pasha,  warned  bv  me  of  mv  cominu',  would  have  i)i'c- 
pared  the  natives  for  our  appearani-e,  or  that  we  could 
purchase  or  make  a  canoe  of  our  own.  The  Pasha  had 
never  visited  the  south  end  f)f  the  lake  ;  there  was  no 
canoe  to  be  ()l)tained,  nor  was  there  any  tree  out  of 
which  one  could  be  made. 

Since  we  had  entered  the  grass  land  we  had  expended 
five  cases  of  cartridues.  There  remained  fortv-scvcn 
cases  with  us,  besides  those  at  Ipoto  in  charge  of  ('aj)tain 
Nelson  and  Dr.  Parke.  A\  adelai  was  distant  twenty- 
five  davs'  iournev  bv  land,  thouiih  it  was  onlv  four  by 
lake.  If  we  travelled  northward  bv  land,  it  was  most 
likelv  we  should  exijcnd  twentv-five  cases  in  fii'htini''  to 
reach  Wadehii,  assuming  that  the  tribes  were  similar  to 
those  in  the  south.  On  reaching  Emin  Pasha  we  should 
then  hav(^  only  twenty-two  left.      If  we  then  left  twelve 

*  In  Novombor,  18S7,  \\m\\\  Paslia wrote  to  liis  friend  Dr.  Fclkin:  "All 
well ;  on  best  torms  witli  cliiot's  nnd  ]ic()|)l(' ;  will  be  loaviiiu:  shortly  for 
Kibiro,  on  cast  roast  of  Lake  Albert.  Have  sent  rironnoiterin^  jiarty  to 
look  out  for  Stanley,  which  had  to  return  with  no  news  yet.  .Stanley 
txiMjeted  about  DceemlK-'r  15th  (1887)."     We  arrived  on  the  1-lth. 


1887. 
Dec.  14. 

Albert 
Nvanz.i. 


i  I 


!-|:l 


i\ 


■5  '; 


l.|4 


pTRi^T-'  :f7i« 


ji 


1887. 
Dec.  14. 

Albert 
A'vimza. 


334 


IN  DABKEtiT  AFIilCA. 


cases  only  with  him,  we  should  have  only  ten  to  return 
l>y  a  route  upon  which  we  had  tired  thirty  cases.  Ten 
cases  would  he  (juite  as  an  inade(j[uate  supply  for  us  as 
twelve  would  be  for  Emin.  This  was  a  mental  review 
of  our  position  as  \vc  trudged  northward  along  the  shore 
of  the  Albert.  But  hoping  that  at  Kasenya  Island,  to 
which  we  were  wendin<>',  we  mii>ht  be  able  to  obtain  a 
canoe,  I  rescjlved  upon  nothing  except  to  search  for  a 
vessel  of  some  kind  for  a  couple  of  days,  and  failing 
that,  discuss  the  question  frankly  with  my  companions. 

At  our  noon  halt,  a  few  miles  north  of  Katonza's,  the 
first  note  of  retreat  was  sounded.  The  otiicers  were 
both  shocked  and  grieved. 

"  Ah,  gentlemen,"  said  I,  "  do  not  lo(jk  so.  You  will 
make  mv  own  reorets  greater.  Let  us  look  the  facts 
fairly  in  the  face.  If  the  island  of  Kasenya  has  no  canoe 
to  give  us,  we  must  retrace  our  tracks  ;  there  is  no  help 
for  it.  We  will  devote  to-day  and  to-morrow  to  the 
search,  but  we  are  then  face  to  face  with  starvation  if  we 
linger  longer  in  this  deserted  phiin.  There  is  no  culti- 
vation on  this  acrid  lake  terrace,  nothing  nearer  than 
the  plateau.  Our  principal  hope  was  in  Emin  Pasha.  I 
thought  that  he  could  make  a  short  visit  in  his  steamers 
to  this  end  of  the  lake,  and  would  tell  the  natives  that  Ik' 
expected  friends  to  come  from  the  west.  What  lias 
become  of  him,  or  why  he  could  not  reach  here,  we 
cannot  say.  J5ut  Katonza's  villagers  told  us  that  they 
liad  never  seen  a  steamer  or  a  white  man  since  Mason 
Bey  was  here.  They  have  heard  that  I'asati  is  in 
Unyoro.  Witlu.ut  a  boat  it  means  a  month's  journey 
to  us  to  find  him." 

"There  is  but  rneway  besides  retreating  that  appears 
feasible  to  me,  and  that  is  by  seizing  upon  some  village 
on  the  lake  shore,  and  build  an  entrenched  camp,  and 
wait  events — say.  for  the  news  to  reach  Tnyoro,  or 
Wadelai,  or  Kabba  Rega  ;  and  Casati,  Emin,  or  the 
Unyoro  king  may  become  curious  enough  to  send  to 
dis(tover  who  we  are.  But  there  is  the  food  (piestion. 
These  lake  villa<«'ers  do  not  cultivate.  Tliev  catch  fish 
and   make  salt  to  sell  to  the  people  on  the  plateau  for 


i| 


>^ 


111 


JNEXFLICABLE  ABSENCE   OF  EMIN. 


380 


)cllU()llS. 


grain. 


, 


We  sliould  have  to  IbraQ-e,  afsceiulino-  and 
descending  daily  that  dreadful  mountain  slope.  For  a 
week  or  so  the  natives  of  the  plateau  might  resist  eveiy 
foraging  party,  but  finally  surrender,  and  emigrate 
elsewhere  to  distant  parts,  leaving  a  naked  land  in  our 
possession.  You  must  admit  that  this  would  he  a  most 
unwise  and  foolish  plan." 

"Were  our  ])()at  here,  or  could  a  canoe  ])e  procurable 
hy  any  means,  our  position  wouhl  be  thus  : — We  couhl 
launch  and  man  her  with  twenty  men,  supply  them  with 
ten  or  twelve  days'  provisions  and  an  officer,  and  bid 
the  crew  '  (ilod  speed,'  while  we  could  re-ascend  to  the 
plrteau,  seize  upon  a  good  position  near  the  edge  of  the 
plateau,  render  it  (juickly  unassailable,  and  forage  north, 
south,  and  west  in  a  land  abounding  with  grain  and 
cattle,  and  keep  sentries  ol)serving  the  lake  and  watching 
for  the  sional  of  fire  or  smoke.  On  her  arrival,  a  hundred 
riHes  could  descend  to  the  lake  to  learn  the  news  of 
Emin  Pasha's  safety,  or  perhaps  of  his  departure,  rid 
Ukedi  and  Usoga,  to  Zanzibar.  The  last  is  probable, 
l)ecause  the  latest  news  that  I  rec^eived  from  the 
Foreign  Office  showed  that  he  meditated  taking  such 
a  step.  But  now,  as  we  ai-e  without  canoe  or  boat,  I 
feel,  though  \\q  are  but  four  days  by  water  from 
Wadelai,  that  we  are  onlv  wastiui*'  valuable  time  in 
searching  for  expedients,  when  c(mimon-sense  bids  us 
be  off  to  the  forest,  find  some  suitable  spot  Hke  Ibwiri 
to  leave  our  surplus  stores,  sick  men,  and  convalescents 
from  Ugarrowwa  and  lpot<»,  and  return  here  again  with 
our  boat  and  a  few  dozen  cases  of  ammunition.  In 
this  inexplicable  absence  of  Emin,  or  any  news  of  him, 
we  sliould  be  unwise  in  wasting  our  streiigtii,  cavrving 
tlie  too  great  surplus  of  ammunition,  wlien  perhaps  the 
Pasha  has  departed  fnmi  his  province." 

During  our  afternoon  march  we  travelled  along  the 
lake  until  the  island  of  Kasenya  bore  from  our 
camping-place  127°  magnetic,  or  about  a  mi'e  distant, 
and  our  observation  ]>oint  on  the  summit  of  the  plateau 
bore  28<)°. 

We  made  a  bush  fence,  and   halted  at  an  eai'ly  hour. 


18R7. 
I  >.'(•.  14. 

Albert 
Xvanza. 


i  i    I. 

J.       .1   I  f 


i  S! 


m- ' 


iii 


»■  ■/  "» 


336 


IN  DARKEST  AFRTCA. 


1887. 
Dec.  Ih. 

Albert 
N  vanza. 


1              mI 

ta 

B 

r 

di 

;|      1 

,    B  i .          n 

a        " 

t 

' 

■ 

i 

..  iL 

■  ; 

The  afcoriiooii  was  likewise  spent  in  considerino;  (;iii' 
position  more  fully  under  the  new  light  thrown  upon 
it  by  the  determined  refusal  of  Katonza  and  his  followers 
to  entertain  our  friendship. 

On  the  morning  of  the  15tli  Deeend)er  I  sent 
Lieutenant  Stairs  and  forty  men  to  speak  with  the 
people  of  Kasenya  Island,  which  is  about  800  yards 
from  the  shore.  As  the  lake  is  very  shallow,  the 
canoe  with  two  fishermen  which  Lieutenant  Stairs  hailed 
could  not  approach  the  shore  to  within  several  hundred 
ya'.'ds.  The  mud  was  of  unfathomed  depth,  and  none 
dared  to  put  a  foot  into  it.  Ahjng  the  water's  edge  the 
singular  wood  ambatch  thrives,  and  continues  its  narrow 
fringe  around  the  southern  extremity  of  the  lake,  re- 
seml>ling  from  a  distance  an  extensive  range  of  fisher- 
men's stakes  or  a  tall  palisade.  The  fishermen  pointed 
out  a  locality  further  up  the  lake  where  they  could 
approach  nearer,  and  which  was  their  landing-phice,  the 
distance  tliev  were  then  at  bareh'  allowin«>'  the  sounds  of 
the  voice  to  be  heard.  We  spent  the  morning  awaiting 
Lieutenant  Stairs,  who  had  consideral)le  difficulty  with 
the  mud  and  swamps.  Li  the  afternoon  I  sent  ]\h'. 
Jephson  and  forty  men  to  the  landing-place  indicated 
by  the  natives,  which  was  a  low  bluff  wooded  at  the 
summit,  with  depth  of  water  sufficient  for  all  practical 
purposes.  In  reply  to  a  hail  a  fisherman  and  his  wife 
came  to  within  a  good  bow-shot  from  the  shore,  and 
deigned  to  converse  witli  our  party.     They  said — 

"  Yes,  we  remember  a  smoke-boat  came  here  a  long 
time  ago.  There  was  a  white  man  (C'olonel  Alason)  in 
her,  and  he  talked  (juite  friendly.  He  shot  a  hippo- 
potamus for  us,  and  gave  it  to  us  to  eat.  The  l)ones  lie 
close  to  where  you  stand,  which  you  may  see  for 
yourselves.  There  are  no  large  canoes  on  this  lake  or 
anywhere  about  here,  for  the  biggest  will  but  hold  two 
or  three  people  with  safety,  and  no  more.  We  1)U}'  our 
canoes  from  the  Wanyoro  on  the  other  side  for  fish  and 
salt.  Will  we  carry  a  letter  for  yon  to  I'nvoro  :*  No 
(with  a  laugh).  No,  we  could  not  thiidv  of  such  a 
thing  ;  that  is  a  work  for  a  chief  and  a  great  man,  and 


[•in Of  our 


EXTRA OIWINAE  Y  FISHERMEN. 


88; 


we  are  poor  people,  no  l>etter  tliuii  slaves.  Will  we  sell 
a  canoe  ?  A  little  canoe  like  this  will  cany  you 
nowhere.  It  is  onlv  tit  for  fishinn'  close  to  shore  in 
shallow  waters  like  these.  Which  wav  <li«l  vou  come 
here  1:  ^y  the  way  of  the  Itnri  t  Ah  !  that  proves  you 
to  1)6  wicked  peo})le.  Who  ever  heard  of  good  })eople 
coming  from  that  direction  ?  If  you  were  not  wicked 
people  you  would  have  l»rought  a  l»ig  boat  with  you, 
like  the  other  white  man,  and  shoot  hi[)pos  like  him.  ( Jo 
v<>ur  ways — vonder  lies  your  road  ;  hut  as  vou  go  vou 
will  meet  with  people  as  had  as  yourselves,  whose  work 
is  to  kill  people.  There  is  no  food  close  to  this  lake  or 
in  all  this  plain.  Fishermen  like  we  have  no  need  of 
hoes.  Look  around  everywhere  and  you  will  not  find  a 
field.  You  will  have  to  go  hack  to  the  mountains  wiiere 
there  is  fo(jd  for  you ;  there  is  nothing  here.  Our 
business  is  to  make  salt  and  catch  fish,  which  wo  rake 
to  the  people  ahove,  and  exchange  for  grain  and  beans. 
This  island  is  Kasenya,  and  l)elongs  to  Kavalli,  and  thi- 
next  place  is  Nyamsassi.  (lO  on.  Why  do  you  not  go 
on  and  try  your  luck  elsewhere  ^  The  first  white  man 
stopped  in  these  waters  one  night  in  liis  boat,  and  the 
next  morning  he  went  on  his  way,  and  since  then  we 
have  not  seen  him  or  any  other." 

(to  !  The  inevitable  closed  around  us  to  fulfil  the 
law  that  nothing  worth  striving  for  can  be  obtained  but 
by  pain  and  patience.  Look  where  we  might,  a  way  to 
advance  was  denied  to  us,  except  by  fighting,  killing, 
destroying,  consuming  and  being  consumed.  Foi' 
["nvoro  we  had  no  mone\',  or  u'oods  fit  for  Rabba  lioua. 
Marchino'  to  Wadclai  would  onlv  be  a  useless  waste  of 
annnunition,  and  its  want  of  it  would  probably  prevent 
our  return,  and  so  reduce  us  to  the  same  hel})lessness 
as  Eniin  Pasha  was  re})orted  to  l»e  in.  If  we  cast  our 
eyes  lakewards  we  became  conscious  that  we  wei'c  bipeds 
recpiiring  something  fioatal»le  to  bear  us  over  the  water. 
All  roads  except  that  by  which  we  came  were  ch)sed,  and 
111  the  meantime  our  provisions  were  exhausted. 

At  the  evening's  council  we  resolved  to  adopt  the 
only  sensible  course  left  us — that  is,  to  return  to  Ibwiri, 

VOL    I.  XV 


1887. 
Dec.  15. 

.\lbert 
Nyaiiisa. 


Jt   ! 


Ill 


»    1 


.    'lis* 


i;  I 


w\ 


ill' 


~f^'"-r"^ 


1illl!M:iif 


4m 


m 


. 


! 

It 
I  i 

[i 

I 


21:^-.     \._.^-. 


1887. 
Dfic.  15, 

Albert 
iSyanza. 


33b 


7.V   DARKEST  AFRICA. 


ei<>liteen  days'  journey  from  here,  and  there  build  a 
strong  stockade,  then  U)  send  a  strong  party  to  Ipoto 
to  l)ring  up  the  l)oat,  goods,  otticers,  and  convalescents 
to  our  stockade,  and  after  leaving  fifty  riHes  there  under 
three  or  four  otticers,  hurry  on  to  I'garrowwa's  settle- 
ment, and  send  the  convalescents  from  th^re  back  to 
Ibwiri,  and  afterwards  '•<  .itinue  our  journey  in  search  of 
the  ^[ajor  and  the  rear  column  before  he  and  it  was  a 
wreck,  or  marched  into  that  wilderness  whence  \\c  s<j 
narrowly  escaped,  and  then,  all  united  again,  march  on 
to  this  place  with  the  ])oat,  and  finish  the  mission 
thoroughly,  with  no  anxieties  in  the  rear  bewildering  or 
enfeel)ling  us. 

The  following  day,  December  IGth,  a  severe  rainstorm 
detained  us  in  r{\m\)  until  9  a.>[.  The  low  hard  plain 
.^absorbed  the  water  but  slo'vly,  and  for  the  first  hour  we 
tramped  through  water  up  to  the  knee  in  some  places. 
We  then  emerged  on  a  gentlv  rolling  ])lain,  where  the 
grass  was  but  three  inches  liigh,  with  clumps  of  bush 
and  low  trees  a  few  score  of  yards  apart,  making  the 
whole  scene  reseml)lc  an  ornamental  park.  Arriving  at 
the  path  c(mnecting  the  landing-place  of  Kasenya  with 
the  mountain  pass  by  which  we  descended,  we  crossed 
it,  kee})ing  parallel  to  the  lake  sliore.  and  about  a  mile 
and  a  half  from  it.  Presently  herds  of  game  ap])eared. 
and,  as  our  people  were  exceedingly  short  of  provisions, 
we  prepared  to  do  our  best  to  obtain  a  supply  of  meat. 
After  some  trouble  a  male  kudu  fell  to  my  share, 
and  Saat  Tato.  the  hunter,  dropped  a  hartebeest. 
Two  miles  beyond  the  lanaing-place  of  Kasenya  we 
halted. 

Our  ol)ject  in  halting  here  was  to  l»lind  the  natives  of 
Katonza's,  who,  we  felt  sure,  would  follow  us  to  see  if 
we  had  moved  on.  for  naturally,  having  ])ehaved  so 
unruly  to  us,  they  might  well  entertain  fears,  or  at  least 
anxiety,  respecting  us.  At  night  we  proposed  to  retrace 
our  steps,  and  follow  the  road  to  the  foot  of  the  moun- 
tain pass,  and  lu'fore  dawn  commence  the  steep  and 
stony  ascent,  and  be  at  the  summit  before  the  natives 
of  the  table-land  al)uve  would  be  astir — as  a  struiigle 


TULA  CUE  It  OrS   SA  I  'A  OES. 


889 


with  such  determined  pe()})le,  heavily  loaded  as  we  were 
was  to  1)6  avoided  if  possible. 

About  3  P.M.,  as  we  were  (>cciii)ied  in  divi<liiii)'  the  xy 
game  among  the  hungry  peo})le,  some  l  live  yells  were 
heard,  and  half  a  dozen  arrows  fell  ';io  the  halting- 
place.  Nothing  can  give  a  better  i<lea  of  the  blind 
stupidity  or  utter  recklessness  of  these  savages  than 
this  instance  of  half  a  score  of  them  assaulting  a  well- 
appointed  c(mipany  of  170  men  in  the  wilderness,  any 
two  of  whom  were  more  than  a  match  for  them  in  a 
tight.  Of  course,  having  delivered  their  yells  and  shot 
their  arrows,  they  turned  sharply  about  and  tied. 
Probal)ly  they  kne'  they  couhl  rely  upon  their  speed, 
for  they  left  our  pv.u>  ing  men  far  out  of  sight  in  an 
incrediblv  short  th  le,  ihe  ten  savages  who  thus  visited 
US  were  the  same  who  had  atlected  such  solicitude  as  to 
come  to  ascertain  if  ve  had  lost  the  road  yesterday. 

In  my  ranib^  ^s  after  meat  during  the  day.  far  down 
the  shore  of  the  i.ake  from  the  halting-place.  1  came  to 
vast  heaps  of  Ixmes  of  shuightered  game.  Tlicy  seem  to 
have  been  of  many  kinds,  from  the  ele])hant  and 
hippopotamus  down  to  the  small  bush-bok.  It  is  probable 
that  tiiey  had  been  surrounded  l»y  natives  of  the  district 
who,  with  the  assistance  of  fire,  had  slaughtered  them  in 
heaps  within  a  circle  of  not  more  than  .')00  yards  in 
diameter. 

Saat  Tato  the  hunter,  after  wounding  a  buffalo,  was 
deterred  from  following  it  by  the  a])pearance  of  a  full- 
grown  lion,  who  took  up  the  chase. 

The  shore  of  the  Lake  as  it  trends  North  Easterly, 
increases  greatly  in  l)eauty.  ( )ver  a  score  of  admii'alile 
camping  places  were  seen  by  me  close  by  the  edge  of  the 
Jiake,  with  slopes  of  wldte  firm  sand,  over  nmch  oi 
which  the  waves  rolled  ceaselessly.  Behind  was  a  back- 
ground of  green  groves  isleted  amid  greenest  sward,  and 
game  of  great  variety  abounding  near  by  ;  while  a  view 
of  singular  magniticence  and  l)eauty  gi'eeted  the  eye  in 
every  direction. 

At  5.30  P.M.  we  oathered  touether,  and  silentlv  Li'ot 
mto  order  of  march  for  the  base  of  the  mountain.     We 


Dec.  It). 

.\lbert 
auza. 


I'i,  i 

lit ; 


m 


1 


I .  It 


M' 


11; 


1 1 


ill 


340 


IN  DA  BREST  AFRICA. 


1 

'  '1 

.  \ 

t 

^  1 

r  '    i 


^ 

1887.  hud  three  sick  pe()})le  with  us,  two  of  them  had  not  yet 
'■  recovered  from  the  effects  of  our  miscrahhMhiys  in  the 
Nyauza.  .^I'eat  forest,  another  suffered  from  a  high  fever  incurred 
in  hist  night's  i*ain-storm. 

At  9  I'.M.  we  stumbled  r.pon  a  vilhige,  wliich  confused 
us  somewhat,  hut  the  Imge  mountain,  rising  like  a  dark 
cloud  ahovc  us,  prevented  us  from  retracing  our  steps, 
which  without  it  we  might  well  have  done,  as  it  was 
exti'emely  dsirk.  In  dead  silence  we  passed  through  the 
sleeping  village,  and  followed  a  path  out  of  it,  which,  de- 
generating into  a  mere  trail,  was  soon  lost.  For  another 
hour  we  bore  on,  keeping  our  eyes  steadily  fixed  on  the 
darker  shadow  that  rose  to  the  starry  sky  above  us, 
until  at  last  wearied  nature,  betrayed  by  the  petulance 
of  the  advance  guard,  deman(h>d  a  halt  and  rest.  We 
threw  ourselves  d')wn  on  the  grass  even  where  we  halted, 
and  were  scjon  in  deepest  slumber,  indifferent  to  all 
troubles. 

At  dawn  we  rose  from  a  deep  slee]),  drenched  with 
dew  and  but  little  refreshed,  and  gazing  up  at  the 
immense  wall  of  the  table-land  that  rose  in  four  orand 
terraces  of  about  GOO  feet  each,  we  discovered  that  we 
were  yet  about  two  miles  from  the  foot  of  the  })ass.  We 
therefore  pressed  forward,  and  shortly  reached  the  base 
of  the  ascent.  By  aneroids  we  were  150  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  Lake,  which  was  2400  feet  above  the 
sea,  and  we  were  2500  feet  below  the  summit  of 
the  saihlle,  or  sunken  ridge  l>etween  the  Northern  and 
Southern  ranges  whose  Eastern  ends  frowned  above  us. 

While  the  carriers  of  the  expecHtion  broke  their  fast 
on  the  last  morsels  of  meat  received  from  yesterday's 
hunting,  thirty  picked  men  were  sent  up  to  seize  the 
top  of  the  ascent,  and  to  keep  the  post  while  the  loaded 
caravan  struggled  upward. 

After  half-an-hour's  grace  we  commenced  ascending 
up  the  rocky  and  rain-scoui'ed  slope,  with  a  fervid 
"  Bismillah  "  on  our  lips.  After  the  fatiguing  night- 
march,  the  after-chill  of  the  dew,  and  drizzling  rain 
and  cold  of  the  earlv  morn,  we  were  not  in  the  best 
condition  to  climb  to  a  2500  feet  altitude.     To  increase 


(1  not  yet 
_vs  ill  tlic 
•  iiicui'R'd 

confused 

vc  a  (lark 

)ur  steps, 

as  it  was 

rouu'li  the 

vliicli,  de- 

)!•  anotlier 

ed  on  tlie 

al)()ve   us, 

petulance 

rest.      We 

we  halted, 

ent  to  all 

iclied  with 
ip  at  the 
our  oraiid 
^(1  that  we 
])ass.  We 
d  the  base 
eet  ahove 
above  the 
ummit  of 
'tliern  and 
above  us. 
!  their  fast 
'^esterday's 
)  seize  the 
the  loaded 

ascendinii' 
a  fervid 
ing  niglit- 
^lino'  rain 
I  the  best 
'o  increase 


TIU-:    TElilllULE   i'LIMli    TO    T/IK    TA /ILK-LAM). 


841 


oiir  (Hsconifort,  tlie  Kastern  sun  shone  full  on  our  backs,      iss;. 
and  the  rocks  reflected  its  heat  in  our  faces.      One  of  the    ^*'''  ^' 


.SK 


■k 


men  in  delirium  waiu 


lered 


iwav,  another  sutferinu' 


from   liiu'h   bilious  fever  surreiid(M'ed  and  would  proceed 


no 


furtl 


ler 


Wl 


leii   we  were  liali-wav  uj) 


lf-> 


'1' 


twel 


ve  natives 


of  Katoiiza's  were  seen  far  below  on  the  })lains,  bounding- 
aloiiu'  the  track  in  hot  chase  of  the  Ivxpedilioii,  with  the 
(tbject  of  picking'  up  stra_n'_ulers.  'I'liey  probably  stumbled 
across  our  sick  men.  and  the  ease  with  which  a  delirious 
and  unarmed  person  fell  a  sacrifice  to  their  spears  would 
inspire  them  with  a  desii-e  to  try  a^ain.  However, 
Lieutenant  Stairs  was  in  charu(M)f  the  i-ear  Liuard.  and 
no  doubt  would  i;i\'e  a  u'ood  account  of  them  if  they 
approached  within  raiine. 

At  the  top  of  the  secoiul  terrace  we  found  a  little 
stream  which  was  refreshingly  cool,  for  the  (piartzose 
rocks  and  n'ueissic  boulders  were  scorchinu'.  That  the 
column  suflcred  terribly  was  e\ident  by  the  manner  it 
stra^u'led  in  fragments  over  the  slopes  and  terratcd 
flats,  and  by  the  streams  of  perspiration  that  coursed 
down  their  naked  bodies.  It  was  a  ureat  relief  tliat  our 
sharp-shooters  held  the  brow  of  the  hill,  f  )r  a  few  bold 
spearmen  nii,uht  have  decimated  the  jiantinu'  and  ,u'as])iiio' 
sutferers. 

At  the  top  of  the  thir(l  terrace  there  was  a  sh<»rt  halt, 
and  we  could  c(mimand  a  view  far  down  to  the  rear  of 
the  cohnnn.  which  had  not  vet  reaclie<l  the  summit  of 
the  first  terrace,  and  perceived  the  twelve  natives 
steadily  following"  at  about  500  yards'  distance,  and  one 
by  one  thev  were  seen  to  be?id  over  an  object,  which  I 
afterwards  found  from  the  connnandcn'  of  the  rear-guai'd 
was  our  second  sick  man.  Each  native  drove  his  s[)ear 
into  the  body. 

( )bserving  their  object,  it  was  resolved  that  their 
hostility  should  be  [)unished,  and  Saat  Tato  the  hunter 
and  four  other  experts  were  posted  l)ehind  some  large 
rocks,  between  which  they  could  ol>serve  without  being' 
detected. 

In  two  a'id  three-quarter  hours  we  reached  the  brow' 
of  the  plateau,  and  were  standing  li\  the  advance-guard, 


AllM-rf 


•!)l( 


j^ 


III  111! 


■  I 


842 


7.V    DAUKF.sT  AFIIK'A. 


Df'.'.  17. 

The 
riatc'KU. 


who  liatl  done  excelleut  service  in  ki'i'[)iii^  tin*  eiioiiiy 
Hwav,  and  as  tlic  R'ai'-<^"uard  mounted  ihc  liei,i:;ht  we 
lioard  tiie  sharp  crack  of  riHes  from  the  aml»ushed  J)iirty, 
who  were  aven,iiin_u'  tlie  nunder  of  two  of  tlieii-  comrades. 
One  was  sliot  dead,  another  was  home  away 
and  the  ferocious  scavengers  had  t1e(h 

During  the  short  Itreathin*:;  i)ause  the  advanee-guard 
were  .sent  to  exph)re  tlie  village  near  l»y,  which,  it  seems, 
was  the  exchange  })lace  between  the  plateau  natives  and 
Lakists,  and  the  gratifying  news  of  a  rich  diseovery  soon 


needing, 


(.OliX    (ilJAXAUY    UF    TllK    liABL'SESSE. 


spread  tlirough  the  column.  A  large  store  of  grain  and 
beans  had  been  found,  suthcient  to  give  eaeh  man  fi-  c 
days'  unstinted  rations. 

At  1  P.M.  we  resumed  our  march,  after  giving  positive 
command  that  ch)se  order  should  be  maintained  in  order 
to  avoid  accidents  and  unnecessary  loss  of  life.  From 
the  front  of  the  column,  the  aborigines,  who  had  in  the 
interval  of  the  halt  gathered  in  vast  numbers,  moved 
away  to  our  Hanks  and  rear.  A  hirge  i)arty  liid  in 
some  tall  grass  through  which  they  supposed  we  should 


EXULTJSd    SAriVES    ClI Et'KEl). 


343 


pass,  ]»ut  we  sworved  aside  thnni^li  a  Idvadtli  of  short 
orass.  I5att1e(l  l)v  tliis  movement  tliev  rose  from  their 
coverts  and  souolit  l>v  other  means  to  •'ratifv  tlieir 
spleenish  hate. 

In  <'rossin<i'  a  deep  onlly  near  tlie  knoll,  which  had 
already  witnessed  a  stirrinj^'  contest  hetween  ns,  the 
centre  and  rear  of  the  colnmn  liecanic  somewhat  con- 
fused in  the  cany  orjiss,  and  crossed  over  in  three  or 
four  broken  lines  ;  our  third  sick  man  either  purposely 
lauiied  Itehind.  or  feit  liis  failini"'  powers  too  weak  to 
hear  him  fui'ther,  and  laid  down  in  the  grass,  hut  it  is 
certain  he  never  issued  from  the  uullv.  We  in  the 
advance  halted  for  the  column  to  reform,  and  just  then 
we  heard  a  storm  of  triumphant  cries,  and  a  hody  of 
ahout  400  exulting  natives  came  lea})ing  down  the 
slopes,  infatuated  with  their  noisy  rage  and  inditferent 
to  rear -guards.  Doubtless  the  triumphant  cries 
were  uttered  when  the  sick  man's  fate  was  sealed. 
AVe  had  lost  three  !  The  rush  was  in  the  hoj)es  of 
obtaining  another  victim.  And,  indeed,  the  rear- 
guard, burdened  with  loads  and  harassed  by  their 
duties,  seemed  to  promise  one  speedily.  But  at  this 
juncture  an  expert  left  the  advance  and  proceeded  to 
take  Tiosition  three  hundred  vards  awav  from  the  line  of 

J-  v  v 

march,  and  nearer  to  the  exultant  natives,  who  wi'e 
bounding  gleefully  towards  the  tired  i-ear-guard.  I  lis 
first  shot  laid  a  native  Hat.  a  second  smashed  the  arm  of 
another  and  penetrated  his  side.  There  was  an  instant's 
silence,  and  the  advance  leaped  from  tlieir  position  to 
assist  the  rear-guard,  who  were  immediately  relieved  of 
tlieir  pursuers. 

An  hours  journey  beyond  this  scene  we  eamped  on  a 
tabular  hill,  which  commanded  a  wide  view  of  rich 
})lains,  for  the  night — footsore  and  weary  beyond  any 
former  experience. 

On  this  afternoon  I  reflected  u]»oii  the  sinoularitv  that 
savages  possessing  such  acute  fear  of  death  should  yet 
so  frequently  seek  it.  Most  mt  would  have  thought 
that  the  losses  which  had  attentu  i  tlieir  efforts  on  the 
10th,  nth,    12th,  and   13tli  would  deter  such  as  these 


l«87. 
Uoc.  17. 

•  liivira's 


I  i 


',  'I 


I,    s 


1  } 

■ 


f 


1H87. 
Dec.  17. 

Gaviva'.s, 


■M. 


4  :| 


844 


7.V  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


f 


I'oni    provokiuo'  stranii'ci's  who 


hud 


)r()ve( 


I  tl 


R'lnseives 


so  well  al)le  to  defeii'l  themselves.  At  one  time  we  had 
almost  been  convinced  tiiat  fii'e  would  teach  them 
caution  ;  we  had  also  thou^yht  that  keeping  in  a  (juiet 
line  of  march,  ahstaining  from  jjaying  hee.l  to  their 
war-cries  and  their  manoeuvres,  and  only  act  \\hen  thev 
rushed  to  the  attack,  were  sufficient  to  H'ive  them 
glimpses  of  our  rule  of  conduci.  Ihit  this  was  the  fifth 
(lav  of  our  forhearance.  We  wei'c  losing  men.  and  we 
could  ill  afford  to  lose  one.  for  a  vast  woi-k  remained 
unfinished.  We  had  still  to  penetrate  the  forest  twice, 
we  had  to  proceed  to  Ipoto  to  carry  our  hoat  to  the 
Nyanza,  search  the  shores  of  the  Lake  as  far  as  Wadelai 
—even  Duffie'.  if  necessary — for  news  of  Kmin,  to  return 
back  again  to  the  assistance  of  .Majoi'  iJarttelot  and  the 


rear-'',olumn — wlio  were 


bv  tl 


lis  time   no  doubt   lookin; 


anxiouslv   for    help,    wearied    with    their   o\ei'whelminu' 

./  L  ■ 

task — andagnin  to  march  through  these  grass-land  tribes 
to  be  each  time  sul)jectto  fatal  loss  through  their  un])rc- 
cedented  recklessness  antl  courage,  1  re-^olved,  then. 
that  the  next  day  we  sliouhl  tiy  to  find  what  eflcct 
more  active  ojierations  woidd  ha\'c  on  tlicm.fbr  it  might 
be  that,  after  one  sharp  and  severe  h'>s(in  and  I 
theii'  cattle,  they  would  consider  whether  war 
profitable  as  peace 


(  »SS      (  ) 


t 


wa- 


Accoi'diuiiiv,  the   niwt  dav  before   dawn    T   calle(l   f  »i' 


vo 


lunt 


eers. 


Kioht' 


len  resi)on(tc(i  w 


ith 


alacritx' 


Th 


instructions  were  few- 


Vou  see,  bovs,  these   natives   fiulit   on   the  constant 


rim 


th 


lev  have  sharp  eves  and   loiiu    limbs.      In    the 


work  of  to-dav  we   white   men   are  of  no   i 


tse 


\\' 


are 


all  footsore  and  weary,  and  we  cannot  I'lm  far  in  this 
country,  Thei'eforc*  you  '.sill  go  togetliei'  with  your 
own  chiefs,  (Jo  and  hunttho.se  fellows  who  killed  our 
sick  men  yesterdav.  (Jo  riulit  to  tlieii'  villaues  and 
bring  away  every  cow,  sheej).  and  goat  you  can  find. 
|)on"t  bother  about  fii'ing  their  huts,  ^'ou  must  keep 
on  full  spe(^d.  and  <'ha,se  them  out  of  excry  caned)i'ake 
and  hill,  iiring  me  .some  prisoners  that  I  may  have  some 
of  their  own  jx'ople  to  send  to  them  with  my  words." 


LIFE   IX  JFIUCA. 


o-t-  > 


M 


eaiiwlule  we  avai 


led 


.ftl 


ourselves  ot  tlie  halt  to  atteiK 


to  our  personal  attairs.  ( )ur  shoes  and  clotliiii^ii'  needed 
repair,  and  for  hours  we  sat  colthlinu  and  tailorinti'. 

At  five  \v  the  afternoon  the  hand  of  \(»lunteers 
returned,  l)rinoing'  a  respectable  heid  of  cattle  with  seveial 
calves.  8ix  hulls  were  slaughtered  at  once,  and  dis. 
trihuted  to  the  men  according  to  their  con.ipanies,  whc 
])ecanie  nearly  delirious  with  happiness. 

"  Su(di,"  said   Three  ( )'cl()ck  the  hunter,   '•  is    life    in 


O.ivira's. 


fl 


M  ' 

'ii 

j     ' 

• 

1 

!l' 

I 

1 

I 

1    ' ' 

;      1 

n 


A    VILLAiJL    Ol'   Till;    UAVII!!        lUlKnKANS    TAlI.nlMNT..    lOTC 


this  continent  with  a  caravan.  ( )ne  dav  we  ha\<'  a 
feast,  and  on  the  next  the  stonia<'h  is  cra\ing.  Xcnci' 
are  two  days  alike.  The  people  will  eat  meat  now  until 
tliev  are  hlintl.  and  next  month  the\'  will  thank  (Jo(l  if 
tl 


lev  i»et  as  niur 


IS  a  wood-hean 


Id, 


Saat  Tato  had  dis- 


c()vere( 


I  lil 


i«'   ni 


vself.  that    life   in    .\frica    consists    of 


series    of    varie(l     sutierings    with     intervals    oj'    short 
pleasui'es. 

The   cold    was    \erv    i>reat   on    this    liiuh    land.      Madi 
night  since  we  had  entered  the  grass  countr>  we  had  heen 


r:  ■■' 


1887. 
Deo.  18. 

Mazam- 

boni'.s. 


mm 


3-i() 


7.V  DARKEST  AFIUCA. 


rolling 


driven  indoors  near  sunset  by  the  raw  misty  weather  of 
the  evening,  and  we  shivered  with  chattering  teeth  in 
the  extreme  chilliness  of  the  vouno-  dav.  ( )n  this  morn- 
ing  the  temperature  was  at  59'  Fahrenheit.  The  men 
were  stark  naked  owing  to  the  exactions  and  extortions 
of  the  Manyuema,  and  had  taken  kindly  to  the  leather 
dresses  of  the  natives,  and  the  bark  cloths  worn  by  the 
aborigines  of  the  forest.  A-cer  experiencing  the  extremes 
of  cold  to  which  these  open  pasture-lands  were  subject, 
we  no  longer  wondered  at  the  tardiness  shown  by  the 
inhabitants  to  venture  out  bef)re  nine  o'clock,  and  it 
would  have  been  manifest  wisdom  f)rus  to  have  adopted 
their  example,  had  our  task  permitted  it. 

On  the  19th  Decemlter  we  struck  across  the 
plains  towards  Mazaml)oni.  As  we  came  near  Gavira  s 
we  were  hailed  by  a  group  of  natives,  who  shouted  out, 
'"  The  country  lies  at  your  feet  now.  You  will  not  be 
interfered  with  any  more  ;  but  you  would  please  us  well 
if  you  killed  the  chief  of  Undussuma,  who  sent  us  to 
drive  you  back." 

At  noon,  as  we  were  a1)reast  of  the  Balegga  Hills,  two 
parties  of  forty  men  each  were  observed  to  l)e  following 
us.  They  hailed  us  finally,  and  expressed  a  wish  to 
"look  us  in  the  face."  As  they  declined  the  permission 
to  approach  us  without  arms,  they  were  sharply  ordered 
away,  lest  we  should  suspect  them  of  sinister  designs. 
Thev  went  awav  submissivelv. 

t/  t/  %.■ 

In  the  afternoon  we  came  to  the  villages  of  those  who 
had  so  persistently  persecuted  us  on  the  12th.  The 
people  were  spread  over  the  hills  \'ociferating  fiercely. 
The  advance-guard  were  urged  forward,  and  the  hills 
were  <'leared,  despite  the  storms  of  abuse  that  were  })oured 
out  by  the  Balegga. 

A  few  of  the  captured  cattle  furnished  milk.  Our 
goats  also  gave  an  ani])le  supply  for  tea  and  coffee.  whi<'h 
we  were  l)ound  to  accept  as  evidence  that  the  heart  of 
Africa  could  sup|)ly  a  few  comforts. 

(Ml  the  *JOth  our  march  lav  throuoii  the  ricli  vallev  of 
r'ndussuma,  the  villages  of  which  had  been  tired  on  tlie 
lV>tii  and   llth.      Already  it   had    I'ccovered   its  aspect  of 


THE  TIICH    VALLEY    OF    VyDUSSUMA. 


347 


populousness  and  prosperity,  for  tlie  huts  were  all  Itnilt 
anew,  but  it  w^is  still  as  death,  the  inhabitants  sitting  on 
the  mountains  looking  down  u})on  us  as  we  marched 
])ast.  Not  being  challenged  or  molested,  we  passed 
through  in  close  order  amidst  a  voiceless  peace.  Alay  it 
not  be  that  by  comparing  one  day's  conduct  with  another., 
the  now  from  then,  the  children  of  Mazamboni  will 
accept  the  proffer  of  friendshij)  which  we  may  make  on 
our  return  ?  We  felt  that  the  next  time  we  came  into 
the  land  we  should  be  received  with  courtesy,  if  not  with 
hospitality.  Thus  steadily,  in  view  of  hundreds  of 
Mazamboni's  warriors,  we  passed  through  the  renovated 
valley.  The  millet  was  now  rijie  for  the  harvest,  and 
with  our  departure  westward,  happy  days  were  yet  in 
store  for  them. 

The  next  dav  we  entered  the  Abunouma  countrv,  and 
after  fording  the  East  Ituri  Eiver,  camped  on  the  right 
bank. 

The  22nd  was  a  halt — both  Lieutenant  Stairs  and  my- 
self wei'e  prostrated  by  ague  and  footsores  :  and  on  the 
23rd  we  marched  to  the  main  Ituri  River,  where  we 
found  that  the  Bal)usesse'  had  withdrawn  every  canoe. 
We  proceeded  down  along  the  l»ank  to  a  part  of  the 
stream  that  was  islanded.  By  2  p.m.  of  the  24th  we  had 
made  a  very  neat  and  strong  sus])ension  bridge  from  the 
left  l»ank  to  an  island  in  midstream,  though  only  two 
men  could  travel  by  it  at  a  time.  Uledi,  the  coxswain 
of  the  advance,  with  a  chosen  band  of  thirteen  men, 
swam  from  the  island  to  the  right  bank  with  their  riHes 
over  their  shoulders,  and  the  gallant  fourteen  men  scoured 
up  and  down  the  banks  fc^r  canoes,  but  were  unsuccessful. 
In  the  meantime  a  terrible  st(trm  of  liail  as  large  as 
mar])les  beat  down  oui'  tents,  nearly  froze  the  men,  ami 
made  everybody  miserable  with  cold.  The  tem})erature 
had  suddenly  fallen  from  75^  to  52  Fahrenheit.  After 
lasting  fifteen  minutes  the  sun  shone  on  a  camp  ground 
strewn  with  hail. 

At  daylight,  Christmas  morning,  I  sent  Mr.  .b'pli^on 
and  Chief  Hashid  across  the  river  with  instructions  to 
make  a  raft  of  banana  stalks,      h  was  noon  before  it  was 


1887 
Dec.  20. 

Uiidus- 
^unla. 


t  \ 


848 


1.SS7. 
Uec.  •_'!. 

Babusosso. 


AV 


\Jil\f-:.<T  JFJIICA. 


fiiiisliGil,  Imt  ill  the  ineantiiiie  tlie  cnvnaii  was  passin,2:^>y 
tliL'  suspension  bridoe  to  rl>e  isiau'l-  and  the  ferriage  hy 
raft  conimeni-ed,  taknig  four  men  with  loads  at  one  trip. 
Tn  one  hour  we  transported  forty  men  aiul  their  ioads  by 
tliese  banana  stalks,  (j-ettino'  more  (*i)nfident,  we  sent  six 
men  and  six  loads  at  one  trip,  and  by  4  p.m.  No,  2  Com- 
pany was  safe  across.  No.  I  C'om})any  theii  tui'ned  to 
haul  tlie  cattle  fro:"n  the  left  bai'k  ishunb  and  after  the 
rear-o'uard  liad  crossed  by  the  luido'e,  "Three  O'clock" 
laid  his  bill-hook  to  the  suspens'on  bridge,  and  with  a 
few  strokes  destroyed  it. 


Glii:.\T    KUlK    NKAK    IMtK-TUNliA. 


liy  noon  of  the  ^(itli  the  Mxpedition  was  ai-ross  the 
main  Itiiri  iiixcr.  Six  calyes  were  slaughtered  foi-  a 
Christmas  ration  of  beef.  The  next  (hiy  one  of  our  head 
men  died  from  inflammation  of  the  lungs,  caused  by  a  chill 
caught  while  lialting  on  the  brow  of  the  phiteau  after  the 
{)erspiring  ascent  from  the  lake  ])laiii.  l)y  the  2l)th  we 
had  reached  IiMW-*ura  :  we  thence  pi'occe(led  to  the  small 
sillau'e  <.f  three  hyi!-5  iH'.ir  I\  u<>u.      ( >n  th*-   Ist  nf  .laniiai'V, 


,'   H 


BOIU'O'S    VILLAGE   UiW'XT. 


81!) 


i,i. 


188S.  we  camped  at  lii(le-t<)ii,f''(».  and  ilie  li-'xi  (l;;v  passed 
l>va  uiyaiuic  oTanite  roek  in  the  forest,  wl'-.-h  sometimes 
is  iised  l»y  the  forest  natives  as  a  I'efiij  .^  le.-oi't  (hiring 
internecine  strife. 

<  )n  the  Oth  January  we  passed  l)y  Indc  !)n\ani,  and  came 
across  the  spot  whence  Msliarasha.a  Zan/iltari.  liad  faUen 
fi'om  a  \()ix  'Hid  l)roken  his  neck.  Tlie  scaveniiers  of  tlie 
woods — the  red  ants — had  eaten  the  scalp  and  j)icked  the; 
skull  clean,  until  it  resembled  a  larue  osti'i<'h  euu'.  The 
chest  of  the  hodv  was  still  entire,  hut  the  lower  limits 
were  consumed  clean.  ( )n  the  next  day  we  entered 
Ihwiri,  and  came  to  Borvo's  village;  hut,  alas!  for  our 
fond  hopes  of  renderin*;' the  villaoe  comfortahle  for  occu- 
pati  )n,  the  natives  had  set  fire  to  their  own  fine  dwell- 
ino's.  Fortunatelv  for  us,  thev  had  taken  the  ])recaution 
to  pick  out  the  finest  hoards,  and  had  stacked  many  oi 
them  in  the  hush.  The  large  stores  of  Indian  corn  had 
heen  hastily  removed  into  tem[)orary  huts  huilt  within 
the  recesses  of  im})ervious  hush.  We  set  to  at  once  to 
collect  the  corn  as  well  as  the  hoards,  and  hefore  night 
we  had  begun  the  construction  of  ihe  %ture  Fort  Budo, 
or  the  "  Peaceful  Fort." 


1887. 
I».v.  -29. 

Imlt'sura. 


i  :i 


VlliW   UF   '••ulil'   U'Jlnj. 


350 


AV   DARKEST  AFRICA 


1 


CHAPTER  XTIT. 


rill 


m 


u  t: 


lliii  \ 


1888. 
Jai\.  0. 


LIFE    AT    FORT    BODO. 

Onr  impending  duties — The  stockade  of  Fort  Bodo— Instructions  to 
Lieutenant  Stairs— His  departure  for  Kiloupx-Lon.uM's — Pestered  by 
rats,  nios(iuitoes,  Ac. — Nights  disturbed  hy  the  lemur — Armies  of 
red  ants— Snakes  in  tropical  Africa— Hoisting  the  Egyptian  flag — 
Arrival  of  Surgeon  Pai'kc  and  Captain  Nelson  from  Ipo'o — Report 
of  their  stay  with  the  Manyuema — Lieutenant  Stairs  arrives  with 
the  ste<'l  boat — We  determine  to  i)ush  on  to  the  Lake  at  once — 
Volunteers  to  convey  letters  to  Major  Barttelot — Illness  of  myself 
and  Captain  Nelson — Lledi  cai)tures  a  Queen  of  the  Pigmies— Our 
fields  of  corn— Life  at  Fort  Podo — We  again  set  out  for  the  Nyanza. 

Ox  arriviiiL>'  at  West  Ihwiri,  alxjut  t;)  Ituild  Fort  Bodo, 
J  felt  precisely  like  a  "  city  man  '  returiiiiig  from 
'''°'  his  liol^'lny  to  Switzerland  or  the  sea-side,  in  whose 
absence  piles  of  business  letters  have  gathered,  which  re- 
quire urgent  attention  and  despatch.  They  must  he 
opened,  read,  sifted,  and  arranged,  and  as  he  reflects  on 
tiieii'  import  he  pei'ceives  that  there  are  many  serious 
affairs,  which,  unless  attended  to  with  method  and 
dilioeuce.  will  involve  him  in  confusion.  Our  holidav 
trip  had  l)een  the  direct  and  earnest  march  to  the  Albert 
i.ake,  to  serve  a  Uovernor  who  had  cried  to  the  world, 
'"Kelp  us  (juickly.  or  we  ])erish."  For  the  sake  of  this, 
]\Iajor  Barttelot  had  been  allowed  to  bi'ing  up  the  rear 
column,  the  sick  had  been  housed  at  Ugarrowwa's  and 
Kilonga-Longa's  stations,  the  extra  goods  had  been  buried 
in  a  sandy  cache  at  Nelson's  starvation  camp  or  stored 
at  Ipoto.  the  boat  A<lr<niCt'  had  Ijeen  disconnected  and 
hidden  in  the  bush,  and  Nelson  and  Surgeon  Parke 
had  been  boarded  with  the  jNIanyuema,  and  everything 
that  had  threatened  to  impede,  delay,  or  thwart  the 
march  had  been  thrust  aside,  or  elude(l  in  some  way. 
But  now  that  the  (JoNci'nor.  who  ha<l  been  the  cynosure 


THE   STOCKADE   OF  FOJiT  liODO. 


351 


of  our  imaginations  and  the  subject  of  our  daily  ai-ou- 
ments,  had  either  departed  homeward,  or  could,  or  would 
not  assist  in  his  own  rel-a.  the  various  matters  thrust 
aside  for  his  sake  reoui--e(i  immediate  attention.  So  I 
catalogued  our  impending  duties  thus  : — 

To  extricate  Nelson  and  Parke  from  the  dutches  of 
the  Manyuema,  also  to  l»i'ing  up  the  convalescents,  the 
Advance  steel  l)oat,  Maxim  nvichine  gun,  and  ]  1(1  loads 
stored  at  Ipoto. 

To  construct  Fort  Bodo,  to  securely  house  a  garrison  : 
make  a  clearing;  plant  corn,  Iteans.  tohacco.  that  the 
defenders  may  he  secure,  fed,  and  comforted. 

To  communicate  with  ^laior  Barttelot  l»v  couriers,  or 


VlliW    OV    FOUT    BUDO. 


4 


1888. 
.Ian.  t3. 

Fort  Bodo. 


proceed  myself  to  him;  to  escort  the  convalescents  at 
IJgarrowwa's. 

If  l)oat  was  stolen  oi'  destroyed,  then  to  make  a  canoe 
for  transport  to  the  Xyanza. 

If  Barttelot  was  reported  to  he  advancing,  to  liasten 
su[)plies  of  corn  and  <'arriers  to  his  assistance. 

And  first,  the  most  needful  duty  was  to  employ  vwvy 
soul  in  the  l)uilding  of  the  stockade,  within  which  tlic 
Ituildino's  could  he  (Mmstructed  at  more  leisure,  and  with- 
out  the  necessitx"  of  liaving  I'itles  slung  to  our  shoulders. 
Uuringour  absence  the  natives  had  burnt  West  Ibwiri, 
and  P)orvo's  fine  village  was  a  smoking  ruin  when  we 
entered.  But  the  finest  boai'ds  had  been  stripped  (»tf 
the  l)uildings,  and  were  stacked  outside,  and  the  coi'n  ha<l 


362 


i.V   DAKKEHT  AFltlCA. 


:  1! 


mm 


£  . 


fiiil'i' 


"1 


188.'^. 
Jan.  t3. 

Fort  Bodo 


heoii  hastily  removed  to  tempornrv  lints  in  im})ervioiis 
hush  two  hundred  yards  away.  These  were  now  invaln- 
al)le  to  us. 

By  the  ISth  of  January  the  stockade  of  Fort  PxmIo 
was  completed.  A  hundred  men  had  been  cutting  tall 
poles,  and  bearing  them  to  those  wiio  had  sunk  a  narrow 
trench  outlinino-  the  area  of  the  fort,  to  })lant  firmly  and 
closely  in  line.  Three  rows  of  crcjss  poles  were  hound 
hy  strong  vines  and  rattan  creepers  to  the  uprights. 
(Jutside  the  poles,  again,  had  heen  fixed  the  })lanking, 
so  that  while  the  garrison  might  he  merry-making  hy 
firelight  at  night,  no  vic-ious  dwarf,  or  ferocious  aborigine 
might  cree])  up,  and  shoot  a  poisoned  arrow  into  a 
throni*-,  and  turn  iov  to  orief.  At  three  an <»les  (jf  the 
fort,  a  tower  sixteen  feet  high  had  heen  erected,  fenced, 
and  boarded,  in  like  manner,  for  sentries  by  night  and 
day  to  observe  securely  any  movement  in  the  future 
fields ;  a  han(|uette  rose  against  the  stockade  for  the 
defenders  to  c(nnniand  greater  view.  For  during  the 
months  that  we  should  be  employed  in  realizing  our 
stated  tasks,  the  Manyuema  might  possibly  unite  to 
a^f-f^ult  the  fort,  and  its  defence  therefore  reijuired  to 
be  t 'ullet-proof  as  well  as  arrow-proof. 

V.  hen  the  stockade  was  completed,  the  massive 
uprights,  beams,  hundreds  of  rafters,  thousands  of 
climbers,  creepers,  vines,  for  rhe  frames  of  the  officers' 
buildings,  storerooms,  kitchens,  corn-ljins,  outhouses, 
piles  of  phrynia  leaves  for  roofing  the  houses,  had  to 
be  collected,  and  then  when  the  gross  work  was  so  far 
advanced  on  the  evenino-  of  the  iSth,  Lieutenant  Stairs 
W{'.s  summoned  to  receive  his  special  instructions,  which 
were  somewhat  as  follows  : — 

"  You  will  proceed  to-morrow  with  a  hundred  rifles  to 
Ipoto,  to  see  what  has  1)ecome  of  Nels(m,  Parke,  and  our 
sick  men,  and  if  living  to  escort  every  man  here.  You 
will  also  bring  the  boat  Advance,  and  as  many  goods  as 
p(  )ssihle.  The  last  letters  from  Nelson  and  Parke  informed 
us  of  many  unpleasant  things.  We  will  hope  for  the 
best.  At  any  rate,  you  have  one  hundred  men,  strong 
and  robust  as  the  Manyuema  ncjw,  and  their  march  t(-) 


i  '• 


STAIRS'   EX  FED  IT  J  ON   TO   II'OTO. 


sm 


tlie  AlV)ert  Lake  lias  made  men  of  tlieni.  They  are  filled 
with  hate  of  the  Maiiyuema.  They  <»;()  there  indepen- 
dent, with  corn  rations  of  their  own.  Yon  may  do  what 
you  like  with  them.  Now,  if  Nelson  and  l^arke  have  no 
complaints  of  hostility  other  than  oeneral  niii<j;ardlinesH 
and  sulkiness  of  the  Manynema,  do  not  he  involved 
in  any  argument,  accusation,  or  reproach,  but  hring- 
them  on.  If  the  l)oat  is  safe,  and  has  not  been  injured, 
halt  l)ut  one  day  for  rest,  and  then  hoist  her  up  on  your 
shoulders  and  carry  her  here.  But  if  the  survivor's  will 
prove  to  you  that  blood  has  been  shed  l»y  violence,  and 
any  white  or  black  man  has  been  a  victim,  or  if  the  boat 
has  been  destroyed,  then  consult  with  the  survivin"' 
whites  and  blacks,  think  over  your  plans  leisurely,  and 
let  the  results  be  what  they  ought  to  be,  full  and  final 
retaliati(m.  That  is  all,  except  remember  for  (Jod's  sake 
that  every  day's  absence  beyond  a  reasonable  period 
necessary  for  marching  there  and  back,  will  be  dooming 
us  here  to  that  eternal  anxiety  wdiicli  follows  us  on 
this  Expedition  wherever  we  go.  It  is  enough  to  be 
anxious  for  Barttelot,  the  Pasha,  Nelson  and  Parke  and 
our  sick  men,  without  an.y  furtlier  addition." 

Three  cows  were  slaughtered  for  meat  rations  for 
Stairs'  Expedition,  each  man  received  120  ears  of  corn, 
goats,  fowls,  and  plaintains  ^vere  taken  for  the  (M)m- 
mander  and  his  two  friends,  and  the  party  set  off  for 
Kilonga-Longa  on  the  19th. 

Stairs'  party  at  muster  consisted  of — 

88  men. 

6  chiefs. 

1  oflBcer. 

1  boy. 

1  cook. 

1  Manyema. 


The  garrison  numbcred- 

60  men. 

3  cooks. 

4  boys. 

8  whites. 

70 


98 


1HK8. 
Jan.  18. 

Fort  lioiio. 


After  the  departure  of  Stairs,  I  commenced  the  con- 
struction of  a  corn-bin  to  store  300  bushels  of  Indian 
corn,  and  to  plaster  the  interior  of  head-quarters. 
Jephson    busied    himself  in    levelling   fioor   of  officers' 

yoL  I.  X 


(  ; 


mw^^ 

'i^C^ 

. 

J  1 

;.' 

1 

i 
1 

1   I 

' 

PHl 


mm 


4^ 


!'  I 


,  ***lwaP-^'      ^. 


354 


188H. 
Jau.  18. 

Fort  Bodo, 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


liouHC.  Men  cnrriod  day,  others  rammed  and  tamped. 
8()m(!  men  were  on  the  roofs  arranoino-  the  lar.oe-leaved 
phrynia  one  altove  the  other  on  a  kind  of  trestle  frame, 
others  foi'med  bidders,  made  clay-dough  for  the  walls, 
doors  and  windows  for  the  houses,  built  kitehens, 
excavated  latrines,  or  dug  the  diteh — ten  feet  wide,  six 
feet  deep — through  a  hard  yellow  clay,  that  lay  under  the 
twenty-four  inches  of  hunms  and  loam  of  the  clearing. 
When  the  houses  were  completed,  we  made  a  whitewasli 
out  of  wood  ashes,  which  gave  them  a  clean  and  neat 
appearance 


PLAN  OP  FORT  BODO  AND  VICINITY.     By  Lieut.  Stairs,  R.E. 

On  the  28tli,  head-quarters  was  ready  for  occupation. 
We  had  cleared  three  acres  of  land,  cut  down  the  bush 
clean  to  the  distance  of  200  yards  from  the  fort,  chopped 
the  logs — the  lighter  a  .ere  carried  away,  the  heavier  were 
pilecl  up— and  fire  applied  to  them,  and  the  next  day 
folded  the  tents  and  removed  to  our  mansions,  which,  as 
Jephscm  declared,  were  "  remarkably  snug."  There  was 
at  fiist  a  feeling  of  dampness,  but  a  charcoal  fire  burning 
night  and  day  soon  baked  the  walls  dry. 


f!! 


COySTliUCriON   OF  IIEADQUAliTEn^. 


805 


To  F'el iriuiiy  C  we  cxteiulod  tlie  clejirinn',  hut  dis- 
(•(n'criiif!;  that  natives  were  prowhnj;'  ahout  the  tort, 
j)laiitin,i;'  poisoned  splinteis  in  the  ]»aths,  cuttin*;'  (h)\vn 
the  l)ananas,  and  l»ent  on  general  mischief,  half  of  the 
oari'ison  were  divided  into  two  [)arties  of  patrols,  to 
scour  the  plantations  and  the  adjoining-  forest.  On  this 
day's  exphmitions  several  camps  of  dwarfs  were  found 
at  the  distance  of  a  mile  from  the  fort,  with  stores  of 
])laintaius  in  theii'  possessi(m.  Thev  were  thoroui^hly 
rousted  out,  and  their  camps  were  destroyed. 

After  a  few  days'  experiences  of  life  in  the  l)uildin_i>s 
we  found  we  were  to  he  annoved  hv  hosts  of  rats,  tieas, 
and  microscopically  small  mos(|uitoes.  The  rats  de- 
stroved  our  corn  and  ])it  our  feet,  spoiled  wantonly  over 
oui-  faces,  and  })layed  hide-and-seek  under  our  hed- 
clothes.  It  seems  that  hy  their  wondrous  craft  they 
liad  discovered  the  natives  were  a]»out  to  hurn  West 
Iltwiri,  and  had  mi<;Tated  in  time  out  of  harm's  way  into 
the  deep  l)ush  and  the  corn  fields,  and  they  prohahly 
had  a  <lini  idea  that  such  an  elii^ihle  place  would  not 
remain  \u\\<^  without  tenants.  When  the  commodious 
houses  of  the  Europeans  were  erected,  with  spa<'ious 
lofts,  and  corn-])ins  with  an  inexhaustible  supply  of 
orain,  they  had  waited  until  everythino-  was  prepared  ; 
i)ut  in  the  meantime  the  strange  white  men  had 
excavated  a  long  and  deep  ditch  half  round  the  fort,  the 
walls  of  which  had  heen  carved  perpendicularly  out  of 
the  clay,  into  which,  in  their  scurr}-  and  Imrry  U)  take 
possession,  several  families  of  rats  tund)led,  and  one 
morning  "  Randy,"  the  fox-terrier,  leaped  in  among 
them,  and  exterminated  the  unfortunates.  Still,  frcmi 
the  Zanzil>ari  village  some  wise  old  rats  had  found  safe 
entrance  and  multiplied  so  fast  that,  until  we  became 
accustomed  to  their  playful  though  rude  s2)ort,  we 
tliouoht  them  to  be  an  intolerable  nuisance. 

At  the  same  time  the  warm  drv  clay  Moors  beoan  to 
1)reed  Heas  bv  mvriads.  Poor  "  Randv  "  was  most 
miserable  from  these  vexatious  torments.  We  were  in 
no  l)etter  plight.  While  dres.sing  they  made  our  limbs 
black  with   their   numbers.     To  suppress   this   pest  we 


188S. 
.Ian.  19. 

Fort  Bodo 


m 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


1.25 


12.8 


ui  m 


U^ 


_2.2 

yo    12.0 


m 


I; 
I 


1.8 


U    11.6 


I 


p^ 


0% 


//A 


^ 


^. 


7: 


*^w 


'/ 


Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


33  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  MS80 

(716)  872-4S03 


♦^ 


m 


^ 


V 


:\ 


\ 


^\ 


'1^ 


I 


is?:-' 


1"^ 


lliji 

I  i 

I'M 
■  I 

I 

ii 


;r 


,  1 


356 


IN  DAIiKEUT  AFRICA, 


m 


I .. 


188»^.  had  recourse  to  keepiiifi;  the  flf)ors  constantly  damp,  and 
Feb.  b.  |.^j  svveepinuj  the  Hoors  twice  a  day. 
Fortiiodo.  rpj^^  (mlinary  mos(juito  nettin<T  was  no  protection 
against  the  mos(|uitoes  of  the  '-learinf!^.  They  saik'*! 
throu«;h  the  open  work  as  mice  woukl  creep  tlirounii 
antelope  nets,  and  the  only  remedy  was  to  make 
mos(piito  curtains  out  of  cotton  muslin,  which  ha})pily 
succeeded,  hut  half  sufibca ted  the  sleepers. 

Our  soap  had  lon^-  ago  l)een  exhausted,  and  as  a 
su])stitute,  though  it  was  not  agreeable  to  the  smell, 
and  was  an  altogether  unsaleable  article,  we  manu- 
factured a  soft  soap  out  of  castor-oil  and  lye,  and,  after 
a  few  ex])eriments,  succeeded  in  turning  out  a  hard  ball- 
like substance,  which  had  all  the  desired  etfect. 

Every  night,  from  Yaml)uya  to  the  plains,  we  had 
been  troubled  bv  harsh  screams  from  the  lemur.  It 
began  at  a  startling  loud  key,  very  deliberate,  and  as 
it  proceeded  the  sounds  became  louder,  quicker,  and 
higher,  in  a  (piick  succession  of  angry,  grating,  wailing 
cries.  In  the  darkness  and  silence  of  the  night,  they 
sounded  very  weird.  Soon,  from  a  distance  of  perhaps 
200  yards,  cimimenced  a  response  in  the  same  strain, 
from  another  sexual  mate.  Sometimes  two  or  three 
jjairs  of  these  would  make  sleep  impossible,  if  any 
in(lis})osition  had  temporarily  disturbed  the  usual  rest. 

Armies  of  red  ants  would  sometimes  invade  the  fort 
from  the  clearing  ;  their  columns  were  not  interrupted 
by  the  ditch.  In  long,  thi(jk,  unbroken  lines,  guardetl 
by  sohliers  on  either  flank,  the  innumerable  insects 
would  descend  the  ditch  and  ascend  the  opposite  sides, 
over  the  parapets,  through  the  interstices  of  tlie  poles, 
over  the  bancjuette,  and  down  into  the  plaza  of  the  fort, 
some  columns  attacking  the  kitchen,  others  head- 
(juarters,  the  officers'  mess-house,  and  woe  l)etide  any 
unlucky  naked  foot  treading  upon  a  myriad.  Better 
a  flogging  with  nettles,  or  cayenne  over  an  excoriated 
biuly,  or  a  caustic  bath  for  a  ravenous  itch,  than  these 
Ititing  and  ven(mi<)us  thousands  climl)ing  u])  the  limbs 
and  body,  burying  themselves  in  the  hair  of  the  liead, 
and  })lunging  their  shining,  horny  numdibles  into  the 


}  i 


PEHTERED   BY  JiATS,    MOSQIITOES,   ETC. 


8; 


.')« 


tlesli,  oreating  painful  })ustules  with  every  bite.  Eveiy 
livino'  thing  seems  disturhed  at  their  i'oniing.  j\]en  are 
screaming,  Itellowing  witli  })ain,  dancing,  an<l  writhing. 
There  is  a  general  rustle,  as  of  a  host  of  migrant 
creatures  among  the  crisp  dry  })hrynia  leaves  overhead. 
The  rats  and  mice,  snakes,  beetles,  and  crickets  are 
niovinu'.  From  a  slunu:  t;f>t  I  have  observed.  l>v  candle- 
light,  the  avengers  advancing  over  the  floor  of  my 
house,  scaling  the  walls,  searching  tlie  recesses  of  every 
hiver  of  leaves,  skirmishing  among  the  nooks  and  cran- 
nies, mouse-holes,  and  cracks;  heaid  moaning  and  crying 
of  little  blind  mice,  and  terrifieds(]uealing()f  motherly  and 
paternal  rats,  and  hailed  them  as  a  blessing,  encouraging 
tliem  along  (m  their  career  of  destruction,  until  presently 
some  })erverse  and  undisciplined  tril>es  would  droj)  from 
tlie  roof  (m  my  cot,  and  convert  their  well-wisher  into  a 
vindictive  enemy,  who,  in  his  rage,  would  eall  aloud  for 
hot  glowing  embers  and  roast  them  alive  l)y  thousands, 
until  the  air  was  heavy  with  the  o(h)ur  of  frizzling  and 
frying  ants.     Bad  luck  to  them  ! 

While  digging  in  the  stiff  yedow  clay,  to  form  the 
ditch,  we  have  c(mie  across  burnt  wood  in  the  liard 
com})acted  material,  5  feet  l)el()w  the  surface  of  the 
humus.  Yet  there  were  stately  trees,  100,  1  oO,  and 
200  years  old,  aljove.  The  site  was  level,  and  apparently 
undisturbed. 

One  of  our  surprises  has  ])een  the  immunity  we  have 
enjoyed  from  snake-bites  in  tropical  Africa.  The  con- 
tinent swarms  with  reptiles  of  all  kinds,  from  the  silvery 
and  l»lind  typhlops  to  the  huge  ))yth<>n  ;  Itut  while 
travelling  and  navigating  over  24,000  miles  of  land  and 
water  in  Africa,  only  two  men  have  been  woundetl, 
neither  of  which  cases  proved  mortal,  liut  the  instant 
we  begin  clearing  a  forest,  or  hoeing  a  field  or  a  road- 
way, we  begin  to  realize  the  dangers  we  have  esca|)ed. 
During  the  work  of  clearing  the  prostrate  logs,  and 
rooting  out  the  bushy  undergrowth  and  prepaiing  for 
cultivation,  we  came  a(a'oss  many  s])ecinu'ns.  some 
remarkably  beautiful.  Coiled  in  the  buslu's.  green  as  a 
icndci'  young  v.heat-blade.  were  the  slender  whip-snakes. 


1H88. 
Keb.  (i. 

Kurt  Bodu. 


I'!t 


'1 


m 


It 


lll-^• 


I  I! 


m 


"■  % 


!i 

m 

wm' 

Iff 

.■4t        -: 

;  Wi 

i 

''M 

I 

,rll. 

jlj 

1 

ill 

\ 

■i! 

•V! 


IM 


liiit 


iw  .! 


i:     I 


ti 


I 


858 


1888. 
Feb.  t). 

Fort  Bodo 


IX  DAJi'KEST  AFRICA. 


wlii(;li  (lro])po(l  down  Jimono-  the  men  when  tlie  lull-hook 
was  applietl  to  destroy  their  perches.  Various  species 
of  the  Dendr()})his,  of  hrilliant  colourino;,  also  were 
revealed.  Three  hloated  })utf-adders,  (jjor^eous  in  their 
complicated  system  of  decorations,  were  killed ;  four 
horned  snakes  crept  out  of  their  holes  to  attack  and  he 
slain  ;  one  of  the  Lvcodonti(Ue,  curious  for  its  lono- 
fan^s,  was  roasted  out  of  its  hiding-place,  while  several 
little,  hlind,  blunt-headed,  silvery  snakes,  not  much 
larger  than  earthworms,  were  turned  up  hy  the  hoes. 
Tortoises  were  very  common,  and  the  mephitis  left 
frecjuent  traces  of  his  existence. 

While  kites,  the  most  daring  of  their  tribe,  soared 
above  every  clearing  in  the  forest,  we  never  met  a  single 
vulture  until  we  reached  the  grass-land.  A  few  white- 
collared  eagles  now  and  then  made  their  appearance, 
but  there  were  parrots  innumerable.  From  grey  dawn 
to  dusk  these  birds  always  and  everywhere  made  their 
presence  known.  A  few  herons  occasionally  rested  on 
trees  in  the  clearinu"  towards  evenino;.  Thev  were 
l)robablv  fati(»ued  with  their  Hi^ht  from  the  Nvanza. 
The  black  ibis  and  wagtails  were  our  constant  com- 
panions  in  the  wihls.  Trees  with  weaver  birds  and 
their  nests  were  a  feature  near  every  forest  village. 
The  neighbourhood.  an<l  finally  our  plantation.^  even 
within  a  dozen  yards  of  the  fort,  were  visited  by  troops 
(►f  elephants.  Buffalo  and  wild-hog  tracks  were  common, 
but  we  were  not  naturalists.  None  of  us  had  leisure, 
and  probably  but  little  taste,  for  collection  of  insects, 
butterflies,  and  birds.  To  us  an  animal  or  a  bird  was 
something  h>  eat,  but  with  all  our  etforts  we  seldom 
ol>tained  anything.  We  only  noted  what  happene«l  to 
catcli  our  eves  or  cross  our  track.  We  had  too  nianv 
an.xieties  to  be  interested  in  anvthinix  save  what  was 
connected  with  them.  If  a  native  oi' a  Zanzibari  picked 
up  a  brilliant  longicorn  b'^'tle  or  hawk-moth,  or  fine 
butterfly,  or  a  huge  mands,  or  brought  birds'  eggs,  or  a 
rare  flower,  a  lily  or  an  orchid,  a  sriake  or  a  tortoise,  my 
mind  wandered  to  my  own  sj)ecial  business,  even  while 
gazing    at    and    approving    the    find.      My   family    was 


•I 


VOMl'LETION   OF    THE   FORT. 


'sm 


hour 


;ilt(\uvrlior  too  l}n'(»o  t<>  pcnnit  frivolity  ;  not  an 
passt'd  Itut  my  taiicies  tied  after  Stairs  at  l})()to;  or 
niv  tliouglits  wcM'o  tilled  with  visions  of  l>arttelot  and 
Jameson  strnogiin^'  thron^i,di  the  forest,  overwhehned 
with  their  oi<;anti('  task,  or  they  dwelt  m-on  the  niysteiy 
surrounilin**'  the  Pasha,  or  upon  the  vicious  dwarfs  and 
the  murderous  l^alesse  and  their  doinn's,  or  upon  the 
necessities  of  providing,  day  after  day,  foo<l  and  meat 
tor  the  present,  as  well  as  for  future  months. 

On  the  7tli  of  Feliruarv  the  soun(lin<,»'  line  was 
stretched  out  to  measure  out  the  apj)roaches  to  the  j^ates 
of  the  fort,  and  most  of  the  garrison  were  employed  for 
several  davs  in  cutting'  l)]'oa<l.  straiuht  roads,  east  and 
west,  for   (piick   ti'avel  and  easy  defence.      Mi^uhty  lo^s 

■re    cut    throuii'h    and    rolled    aside,    the    roads    were 


Fob.  G. 
I'ort  Bodo, 


Wt 


cleaned,   so 


1. 


that 


a  mou 


<e  miiiht  he   detected   crossinir 


them  at  I'OO  yards  otf,  a  l»i-idue  \vas  huilt  across  the 
stream  west  of  the  fort,  hy  which  the  scouts  were 
enabled  to  proceed  from  each  of  the  plantations  in  a 
short  time,  l)y  night  or  Ity  day.  It  may  well  he 
ima»iined  what  etfect  this  tlood  of  \'\<i\\t  had  upon  the 
•ratty  natives,  who  preferi'ed  l)uri'owin<^'  in  dark  shades, 


and  creep  under  the  lee  of  monster  loos,  furtively  spyin 
out  o})portunities  for  attack,  Tliey  felt  that  they  could 
not  cross  the  road  at  any  point  without  hecomino-  a 
target  for  a  sentry's  ritle,  or  their  tracks  would  hetray 
them  to  the  patrols. 

On  the  next  morniui''  we  raised  a  tlao-statf  .50  feet 
liiuh,  and  as  the  Eov])tian  tlag  was  hoistecl  u]),  the 
Soudanese  were  permitted  to  salute  it  with  twenty-one 
rounds. 

We  had  scaively  tinislied  the  little  ceremony  when  a 
shot  was  tired  at  the  end  of  the  western  road,  the  sentiy^ 
Mt  the  tower  commanding  it  sang  out,  "Sail  ho,"  and 
we  knew  the  caravan  was  coming  in  from  Ipoto. 

Surgeon  Parke  was  the  tirst  to  arrive,  looking  won- 
derfullv  well,  hut  Nelson,  who  sutfered  from  sore  feet, 
and  entered  the  fort  an  hour  later,  was  prematurely 
old,  with  pinched  and  drawn  features,  with  the  hent 
hack  and  feeble  leos  hetittinu"  an  octouenarian. 


I 


\-\\ 

'     1 

rf 


t     '; 


300 


JN  DA  UK  EST  A  Fine  A. 


,(..    ! 


If':    I 


18SH. 
Feb.  H. 

Fort  liodo, 


The  fol)()wihf]r  jiccouiit  will  speak  for  itself,  suid  will 
prove  that  the  stay  of  these  officers  at  the  Maiiyenia 
villai^e  recpiired  greater  strenuth  of  mind  and  a  moral 
eouraji^e  <»:reaier  than  was  needed  l)v  us  durinu-  our 
stormy  advance  across  the  <iTass-land.  The}'  were  not 
inspired  l>y  ener<i;ising  motives  to  sustain  or  encourage 
them  in  their  hour  of  sutferinu'  fi'oiu  })hysical  pros- 
tration, sickness,  and  the  wearvin<>'  life  tliev  led 
among  those  fearful  people,  the  Alanyuema,  whereas  we 
had  heen  home  \\\)  h\  the  novelties  of  new  scenes,  the 
constant  high  pitch  of  excitement,  the  jjassion  of  travel 
and  strife.  Thcsv  suffered  from  the  want  of  the  neces- 
saries  of  life  day  after  day,  while  we  revefled  in 
a])undance,  and  the  greatest  difficultv  of  all  was  to  })ear 
all  these  sufferings  inflicted  upon  them  l»y  Ismailia, 
Khamis,  and  Bangarameni,  who  were  slaves  of  Kih>nga- 
Longa,  wdio  was  the  shive  of  Abed  ])in  Salim,  of 
Zanzibar,  sweetly  and  pleasantly. 


Jt'eport  of  Surgeon  T.  11.  Pauke,  Ainnj  Afedicul  Dcjtnrtmvht,  in  mviUml 
chiin/e  of  J'',  t'.  li-  K.ijieiUfion. 

Fort  Bodo,  8  Fehrmmj,  1888. 

Sir, — I  have  the  honour  to  forward  this  rei)ort  for  your  information. 
In  conipliauce  with  vour  orders  dated  2J:th  Octoborj  1887, 1  remained  at 
the  Manyuema  Camp  to  take  char;j;o  of  invalids  and  impedimenta  left  there 
on  your  departure,  28th  October,  up  to  the  time  the  relief  party  arrived, 
'25th  January,  1888.  Of  those  invalids  whom  you  left  at  cam)),  seven 
were  sufficiently  recovered  to  send  on  with  Ca|>tain  Jephson,  7th  Novem- 
ber ;  those  remaining  were  increased  in  number  by  the  arrival  of  Cai)tain 
Nelson,  his  two  boys,  and  two  men,  3rd  November ;  also  headman  Umari 
and  nine  men,  who  were  found  in  a  starving  condition  in  the  bush  by 
Kihmga-Longa,  and  brought  to  camj)  by  him  9tli  Janmiry ;  this  made  a 
total  of  one  sick  officer  and  thirty-nine  invalids  remaining  in  camj) ;  of 
this  number  Captain  Nelson  and  sixteen  men  left  with  the  relief  party. 
Twelve  men  were  away  on  a  journey  looking  for  food,  therefore  remain 
at  j\buiyuoma  Camp,  and  eleven  deaths  occurred;  this  extremely  high 
mortality  will  no  doubt  astonish  you,  especially  as  it  was  entirely  due  to 
starvation,  ex('ei)t  in  two  instances  only.  From  the  time  you  left  the 
Manyuema  ('amp  until  ourde))arture,  2()tli  January,  the  chiefs  gave  little 
or  no  fooil  to  either  officers  or  men ;  tho.se  men  who  were  sufficiently 
.strong  to  do  a  good  day's  work,  sometimes  got  as  many  as  ten  heads  of 
corn  (Indian)  i)er  man,  but  as  the  working  men  were  not  constantly 
employcMl,  their  average  ration  of  corn  was  about  three  jter  day;  tliose 
invalids  ujiable  to  work,  of  whom  there  were  many,  received  no  fooil 
from  the  chiets,  and  were  therefore!  obliged  to  exist  on  herbs.  I{enu'nd)er- 
ing  the  wriitched  ami  debilitated  condition  of  all  these  men,  both  from 
privation  ai  d  disease,  you  will  readily  untler-staml  that  the   heartless 


;srjiaj:ox  parkes  iuwout. 


3«U 


troatnicnt  of  the  Muiiyiionm  t'liiet's  was  sufticiciit  ti>  ciinsc  ov(mi  a  iiiiicli 
proator  mortality. 

Tlic  iiK'ii  wore  Imdly  iKniscd,  ami  tlieir  scanty  clotliiiifr  consisted  of 
aliout  lialf  a  yard  of  iiativc  barlv-clotii,  as  tlicy  sold  tlicir  own  clotlics  for 
food  :  tlicy  t'Xjioricnccd  not  only  tlic  horrors  ol  starvation,  l)ut  wcro 
cnu'lly  and  brutally  treated  by  tiic  Manjucnia,  who  drove  them  toconnnit 
theft  by  withholdinfr  food,  and  then  ■scored  their  backs  with  rods,  and  in 
one  case  sjieared  a  man  to  '(ath  (Asnia:<i  bin  Hassan)  for  stealing. 

('ajftain  Nelson  arrived  in  a  very  weak  v-onditi<»n,  reriuirin;,^  p)od  food 
and  careful  treatment.  He  visited  the  chiefs,  and  made  them  handsome 
presents  of  articles  costiiii:  about  £75,  with  a  view  to  win  their  sympathy  ; 
however,  they  continued  to  t;ive  little  or  n  ".)od  to  officers  or  men  :  they 
saiil  that  no  arrangi'nient  had  been  made  for  provisioning:  Captain  Nelson, 
and  any  food  they  sent  to  me  was  entirely  of  their  own  jiciierosity,  as  no 
arrangement  had  been  madi-  by  yon  1  askeil  them  to  let  me  see  the 
written  agreement  between  >ou  and  them,  which  they  did;  also  another 
document  written  in  Arabic  characters,  which  I  could  not  read.  In 
tli(  i  agreement  with  you  I  saw  that  they  had  promised  tit  provision  the 
officers  and  men  whom  you  would  h'ave.  1  ajtjtealed  to  them,  and 
remonstrated  with  them,  nevertheless  they  su]tplied  less  and  less  food, 
until  finally  they  refused  to  give  any  on  the  ])h'a  that  they  had  none. 
'I'he  height  of  this  gene-'osity  wonld  be  reache(|  when  they  would  send 
two  or  three  cu])s  of  Indian  meal  to  feed  (.'ajttain  Nelson,  myself  and  the 
boys,  until  the  next  donation  wonld  turn  up  in  six  or  seven  days  aoer- 
wards.  During  the  last  seven  weeks  we  did  not  receive  any  food  what- 
ever from  tlie  chiefs.  Owing  to  their  ri'fnsal  to  give  us  food,  we  were 
obliged  first  to  sell  our  own  clothes,  and  eight  rifles  lielonging  to  the 
Kx]iedition  to  juovide  ourselves  and  boys  with  food.  I  re])eatedly  re- 
mindecl  Isniaili  (chief)  of  the  conversation  he  had  with  you  in  your  tent 
the  night  before  you  left  the  (aiu]»,  when  he  jn'omised  to  look  alter  and 
care  for  the  officers  and  men  whom  you  left  in  camp.  Although  the 
chiefs  ha<l  no  food  to  supjtly  according  to  their  agreement,  yet  they  had 
always  plenty  to  sell,  their  ol»je«'t  being  to  comjiel  us  to  sell  the  arms  and 
annnunition  for  food.  1  send  you  a  comjilete  list  of  effects  left  in  my 
charge  by  Ca])tain  .Teithson,  7th  November,  all  of  which  were  correct 
when  the  relief  ))arty  arrived,  with  the  following  exce])tions,  viz. : — two 
boxes  I{emington  ammunition,  and  one  rifle,  which  were  stolen  by  a 
Zanzibari  (Saraboko),  and,  I  believe,  sold  to  the  Manyuema  chiefs. 

Several  attemjtts  were  made  to  steal  the  arms,  boxes,  &e. ;  on  the  night  of 
November  7th,  the  hut  in  which  the  baggagi'  was  stored  was  set  on  fire 
with  a  view  to  taking  I'verything  with  a  rush  in  the  confusion  caused  by 
tlie  fire:  however,  their  (Iream  was  frustrated,  as  Cajttain  Nelson,  who 
was  ever  awake  saw  the  blaze,  and  gave  the  alarm  just  in  time  for  our- 
selves and  our  boys  to  put  out  the  fire  before  it  got  to  the  baggage. 
1  then  had  the  tents  i>itched  according  to  your  directions,  not  being  able 
to  do  so  earlier,  as  I  had  no  assistance.  All  the  rifles,  ammunition, 
boxes,  &o.,  were  jmcked  in  the  tents,  one  of  which  was  occupied  by 
Captain  Nelson,  and  the  other  by  myself.  Every  effort  was  made  to 
prevent  things  being  stolen  ;  nevertheless,  even  Ca]»tain  Nelson's  blankets 
were  taken  by  a  thief  who  got  under  the  tent  from  behind.  On  another 
occasion  I  heard  a  noise  at  my  ti'ut-door,  and,  jum])ingout  of  bed  (luickly, 
I  found  a  box  of  annnunition  ten  yards  off,  which  had  just  been  taken 
out  of  my  tent.     The  thief  escaped  in  the  dark. 

(^n  the  night  of  January  Dtli,  I  heanl  a  noise  outside  my  tent,  and, 
susjuvting  a  thief,  I  crejyf  out  noisele.<.sly  to  the  back,  where  1  caught 
"Camaroni."'  a  Zanzibari,  in  the  act  of  stealing  a  rifle  through  a  hole 
which  he  1  ad  cut  in  the  tent  for  this  offence.    Life  at  the  Manyuema  Camp 


1888. 
Kol).  8. 

Fort  liodo. 


% 


^ 


\\  ii! 


lin 


1* 


•     \'\ 


i  J  ii 


::r 


3(52 


IN  DAIiKEtiT  AFJUCA. 


I'lii 


1888. 
Ffb.  8. 

Fort  Bodo 


was  almost  intolcrablo.  Apart  from  starvation,  tlio  people,  tlipi'r  manner 
and  snrnmndin^s,  were  the  lowest  order,  and,  owinpj  to  the  mounds  of 
fecal  matter  and  decomposing:;  vegetation  wliieli  were  allowed  to  collect 
on  the  paths  and  close  to  their  dwellings,  the  place  was  a  hothed  of 
disease,  ('aptain  Nelson  was  confined  to  his  hod  from  sickness  for  over 
two  months,  and  I  got  hiood-poisoning,  followed  hy  erysipelas,  which 
kept  me  in  bed  for  live  weeks.  iJnring  our  illness  the  chiefs  paid  us 
freiiuent  visits,  but  always  with  a  view  to  covet  something  which  they 
saw  in  our  tents.  Their  avarice  was  unbounded,  and  they  made  agree- 
ments one  day  only  to  be  broken  the  next.  After  the  arrival  of  Kilonga- 
Longa  and  his  force  of  al)out  401).  including  women,  children,  and  slaves, 
food  became  really  scarce,  therefore  the  Manyuema  were  obliged  to  send 
out  large  caravans  to  bring  lU  foo  .  Twelve  Zan/.il)aris  who  are  absent 
a('cniiij)anied  these  caravans  in  search  of  food,  and  had  not  returned  when 
1  left  the  camp  with  the  rclii '"  party.  Starvation  was  so  great  just  before 
we  left  that  the  native  slaves  seized  one  of  their  comrades,  who  had  gone 
some  distance  from  the  camp  to  draw  water,  cut  him  in  pieces,  and 
ate  him. 

In  conclusion,  I  may  mention  that  Captain  Nelson  and  myself  did 
everything  we  could  to  i)reserve  a  good  feeling  with  the  Manyuema 
chiefs  and  people,  and  we  parted  on  friendly  terms. 

T.  H.  Parke. 
(Sunicon  A.  M.  I).) 
To  H.  M.  Stanley,  Esq., 
Commaiidinij  E.  P.li.  Kxj>i-'ditniii. 


! .    :  .  t' 


!  il 


\ 


The  coiitra.st  l)etween  tlie  .sadlv-worn  men  who 
reai.'hed  us  from  that  liot-bed  of  .sutfering'  at  Ipoto  and 
our  l)eautifully  sleek  and  glossy  men  wlio  had  reached 
the  All)ert  was  most  marked.  Tlieir  flesh  was  wasted, 
their  muscles  had  ])ecome  shrivelled,  their  sinews  were 
slirunk,  and  their  distinctive  and  peculiar  individualities 
seemed  to  have  altogether  vanished  until  it  had  become 
a   ditH(^ult  matter  to  recognise  them. 

On  th(?  12th  of  February  [lieutenant  Stairs  and  liis 
column  appeared  with  every  section  of  tlie  l)oat  in  good 
order.  He  had  l)een  a))sent  twenty-five  days,  and  his 
mission  had  ])een  ])erf()rnied  witli  a  sacred  regard  to  liis 
instructions  and  without  a  single  Haw. 

The  evening  of  that  date  was  reniarkal)le  foi*  a  dis- 
cussion l)etween  tJie  head-men  and  oursehes  as  to  our 
future  steps.  I  discovered  that  all  the  lieadmen  were 
unanimous  for  proceeding  to  the  Nyan/a  to  launch 
the  ])oat  and  .sean^h  for  news  of  Emin.  My  desire  was 
e(j[ually  great  to  obtain  news  of  the  Pasha  ;  nevertheless, 
I  think  very  little  was  re<pnred  to  induce  me  to 
abandon   the  search  for   the   Pasha  to  obtain  news  of 


!l 


'ir  manner 
inouii'Js  of 
to  col  loot 
hothofl  of 
?  for  over 
Ills,  which 
s  paid  ns 
hich  they 
ide  ii^Toc- 
f  Kilijiiga- 
.11(1  .slaves, 
il  to  send 
Li'e  !il)si'nt 
•nod  when 
list  before 
had  gone 
ieces,  and 

iiyself  di(i 
lanyueina 

.\RKE. 


311  wllO 
)tO  and 
reached 
wasted, 
vs  were 
ualities 
])e('onie 

mid  liis 

ill  good 

iiid  liis 

to  liis 

V  a  dis- 
;  to  our 
Ml  were 
launcli 
ire  was 
tlieless, 
me  to 
lews  of 


SEARCH  FOR   PAtHIA    AXD    BARTTELOT  ARRAXdED.     HiVS 

]\Iajor  Bai'ltelot,  Imt  otticers  and  men  were  alike  unani- 
mous in  their  demand  that  we  slio  Id  resolve  the  fate  of 
Emin  Pasha.  A  compromise  was  finally  effected.  It  was 
determined  tliat  couriers  sliould  he  sent  with  our 
letters  to  Major  Barttelot,  with  a  map  of  our  route  and 
such  remarks  as  would  he  of  practical  use  to  him.  It 
was  also  decided  that  Lieutenant  Stairs,  after  t\;o  (hiys' 
rest,  should  escort  these  couriers  as  far  as  U«j;ai'r()wwa's, 
and  see  them  safely  across  the  river,  and  that  on  return- 
ing he  should  escort  the  convalescents,  wlio,  t(W)  feeble  to 
march,  had  ])een  housed  in  that  settlement  on  the  18th 
Septemher  ;  that  in  order  that  Lieutenant  Stairs  should 
"  participate  in  the  honour  of  ])eing  present  at  the  relief 
of  Emin  Pasha,"  we  should  wait  for  him  until  the  2otli 
of  IVIarch.  Meantime  we  should  <'oiitiiiue  th'^  work  of 
enlarging  our  domain  for  corn  and  heaii  j)lanting,  to 
prevent  any  scarcity  of  food  while  engaged  in  the 
forest. 

The  distance  between  Fort  Bodo  and  Tpoto  was 
seventy-nine  miles,*  or  158  miles  the  round  journey, 
which  had  occupied  Lieutenant  Stairs  twenty-five  <lays, 
at  the  average  of  six  and  one-third  miles  per  day,  hut 
he  had  reached  Ipoto  within  seven  days,  and  Jephson 
and  Uledi  liad  accomplished  the  -distance  in  the  same 
time,  that  is,  at  an  average  rate  of  travel  of  a  little  over 
eleven  miles  per  day.  Now,  as  LTgarrowwa  was  104 
miles  beyond  Ipoto,  or  18^3  miles  from  Fort  Bodo,  it 
was  estimated  that  the  journey  of  366  miles  which 
Stairs  was  now  a])out  to  undertake  might  be  performed 
within  thirty-four  days,  or  at  the  rate  of  ten  and  three 
(juarter  miles  per  'day.  This  would  be  magnificent 
travelling,  especially  in  the  forest,  but  as  various  (nrcuni- 
stanches  might  protract  the  period,  it  was  agreed  that  if 
we  moved  towards  the  Nyanza  on  tiie  25tli  Marcili,  and 
as  the  carriage  of  the  boat  would  necessitate  short  staoes, 
we  should  travel  slowly,  that  he  might  have  the  opjjor- 
tunity  of  overtaking  us. 

On  the  morning  of  the   16th  February,  at  muster,  it 
was  proclaimed  that  twenty  first-class  volunteers  were 
■*  Seventy-nine  miles  one  way,  and  eighty-four  miles  by  another  way. 


ir',' 


IfiSH. 
F.'b.  l-.>. 

Fort  BoJo. 


iii 


i:l 


3«4 


JN  D  A  It  K  F.ST  A  Fine  A. 


m 


11  > 


.  I  m 


IHHH. 
Fel».  1»). 

F(.rt  Botlo, 


r  I 


required  to  convey  (Hir  letters  to  Major  Barttelot,  at 
£10  reward  for  eacli  iiiaii  if  tliev  su('(;eeded  in  reacliini"; 
liim,  because,  said  1,  ''You  lias'e  all  comliined  to  demand 
that  we  should  find  the  Pasha  first.  It  is  well.  I5ut  I 
feel  as  anxious  ahout  the  Major  as  J  do  about  the  Pasha. 
We  must  find  hoth.  You  who  remember  what  we 
suffered  must  feel  what  the  Major  and  his  friends  feel, 
in  those  horrible  stretches  of  unpeopled  woods,  having; 
no  idea  where  they  are  goin<»'  or  what  is  waiting  for 
them.  You  know  how  grateful  we  should  have  been, 
had  we  met  anvl)odv  who  could  have  warned  us  of  the 
hunger  and  misery  we  should  meet.  Therefore  every 
man  who  volunteers  must  be  acknowledged  as  the  fittest 
for  this  noble  work  bv  evervone  here.  AEaster  Stairs, 
whom  you  all  know  as  a  man  who  is  never  tired,  and 
ne\er  says  '  enough  '  when  there  is  something  to  be  done, 
will  show  vou  the  road  as  far  as  LJgarrowwa's,  he  will 
see  that  vou  are  ferried  over  with  food,  and  car*:rido:es 
sufficient,  and  when  you  leave,  you  must  race  along 
our  old  road,  which  you  (cannot  lose,  like  men  running 
for  a  big  prize.  These  letters  must  be  put  into  the 
hands  of  the  Major,  that  he  and  your  brothers  may  l)e 
saved.     Where  are  these  fifty  dollar  men  ?  " 

Uf  course  at  such  times  the  Zanzibaris  are  easily 
roused  to  enthusiasm,  and  everv  man  considers  himself  a 
hero.  Over  fifty  men  came  to  the  front  challengirig  any 
one  to  say  aught  against  their  manliness  or  courage,  but 
they  lad  to  undergo  a  sear(ihing  (;riticism  and  bantering 
review  from  their  fellows  and  officers,  their  (courage, 
powers  of  endurance,  activity,  dispositions,  strength, 
soundness  of  mind  and  body  were  (questioned,  but  at  last 
twenty  men  satisfactory  to  CV)mm'inder  and  people 
received  rations,  and  they  were  specially  enrolled  among 
the  men  of  merit  who  for  distinguished  service  were  to 
be  rewarded  with  varying  sums  of  money,  in  addition  to 
their  pay,  on  reaching  Zanzil)ar.  Lieutenant  Stairs  left 
for  Ipoto  and  Ugarrowwa's  at  9  o'clock  with  fowls,  goats, 
corn,  and  plantain  flour  rations  for  the  long  journey. 

On  the  18th  my  left  arm,  which  had  been  very  painful 
for  four  days  previously,  developed  a  large  glandular 


,1^ 


n 


telot,  ut 
reacliiim- 
(leniund 
But  I 
e  Puslia. 
vliat  we 
lids  feel, 
,  luivino 
ting  for 
ve  heen, 
IS  of  the 
e  every 
le  fittest 
r  Stairs, 
•ed,  and 
be  done, 
he  will 
r^ridi^es 
e  alon^r 
runninii' 
nto  the 
may  be 

3  easily 
imselfa 
ing  any 
ige,  l)ut 
Altering 
;ourage, 
rength, 
b  at  last 
people 
among 
were  to 
ition  to 
lirs  left 
,  goats, 
ley. 

painful 
mdular 


i 


1% 


tttf 


iiHl 


(lit    -I 


ifll 


i   J 


f 


I  'I 


:  :  . 

^  l^'l 

ji 

!li  !  ;  ^ 

'i 

ii  ^ 

ILLNESS    OF  MYSELF  AM)    VAPTAIS  XKLSOX.       iU'u 

s\vi'llin.ii',  wliicli   niir  siunvon   sai'l  .vould  ])rovt'  to  Ik-  an 
abscess. 

The  tollowin^'  is  taken  from  my  «liai'v  : — 

Fcfn'Htfri/  \\)tli  to  M<n-r/i  \:\tli.  On  Sunday  ni^ulit.  tlie 
IDtli,  I  was  attacked  with  intlannnation  ot*  tlie  stomach, 
whicii  lias  heen  caUed  ])y  Dr.  l*ai'ke  snli-a«'Ute  t^astritis, 
ot' so  severe  a  character  that  duriiiii  tlie  first  week  I  had 
onlv  a  confused  recollection  of  «ii'eat  j)ain  in  the  arm  and 
stomach,  and  ueneral  uselessness.  I  )r.  Parke  has  liceii 
most  assiduous  in  his  a[)pli<-ation  to  my  needs,  and 
uentle  as  a  woman  in  his  miidstrations.  Koioncein  my 
life  every  soul  around  ine  was  at  my  service,  and  I  found 
mvself  an  object  of  universal  solicitude  niuht  and  dav. 
My  faithful  friends,  l*arke  and  .lephson.  waited,  and 
watched,  and  served.  Poor  Nelson  was  himself  a  victim 
to  ill-health,  fevers,  debility,  eruptions  and  ulcers,  the 
ert'ects  of  his  terrible  agcuiy  at  Starvation  Cam]),  but  he 
would  c(mie,  sometimes  tottei'inu'  weakly,  to  express  his 
sympathy.  In  the  afternoons  the  Doctor  would  permit 
the  headmen  to  visit  me,  to  convey  to  the  anxious 
Zanzil>aris  their  personal  opinions  and  views  of  my  case. 
Durinu'  most  of  these  twentv-three  days  I  have  been 
under  the  influence  of  morphia,  and  the  time  has  passed 
in  unconsinousness.  But  1  am  now  slowly  recovering;. 
Two  days  ao()  the  abscess,  which  had  become  very  laroe, 
was  piereed,  and  I  am  relieved  of  that  pain.  Meanwliile 
my  daily  diet  has  consisted  of  a  pint  of  milk — thanks  to 
the  Baleooa  cow — mixed  with  water.  I  am  tliei'efore  so 
feeble  as  to  be  scarcely  able  to  move. 

During  my  illness  I  have  to  regret  the  loss  of  two 
good  men,  Sarmini  and  Kamwaiya.  who  have  been  killed 
with  arrows,  and  one  of  the  headmen  has  been  severely 
wounded.  This  occurred  durinii'  a  ])atrollinL!:  tour  as  far 
as  the  Ihuru,  fourteen  geographical  miles  due  ."vtl. 
from  here.  Uledi  and  a  party  has  discovered  the  ii.unts 
of  the  dwarfs  and  taller  aborigines  who  rob  ourj^lantain 
groves  to  be  at  Alesse  and  Nderi,  fourteen  geographical 
miles  east. 

I  find  that  Uledi  has  eaptured  a  Queen  of  the 
Pigmies,  who  is  the  wife  of  the  Chief  of  Indekaru.      She 


f 


Win 


IHHH. 
I'd..  18. 

Fort  U(k1o 


ft!!' 


A 


II  I'iii 


mh 


If 


il   iJ 


368 


AV  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


1888.  was  brouolit  in  to  ])e  seen  ])y  me  with  tlu'ee  lings  ot 
Feb.  19.  poii^-i^ej  ii-oij  around  her  neek,  the  ends  of  which  were 
coiled  like  a  watch  spring.  Three  iron  rings  were 
suspended  to  each  ear.  She  is  of  a  light  l)rown  com- 
plexion, with  broad  round  face,  large  eyes,  and  small  hut 
full  lips.  She  had  a  quiet  modest  demeanour,  though 
her  dress   was  but  a  narrow  fork  clout  of  Ijark  cloth. 


i 

III 

1 

t 

i 

*'  1 

■  i 

< 

i'    " 

Mi 

'1 

1 

( 

\ 

i              1        ': 

•■        I 

1 

ii 

1        \ 

|| 

; 

1    r 

Ii 

11 

i  -4- 

II 

i 

' 

' 

1 

THE   QIKKN    OK   TIIK    1)WAKF8. 


Her  height  is  aljout  four  feet  four  inches,  and  her  age 
may  be  nineteen  or  twenty.  I  notice  when  her  arms 
are  held  against  tlie  lii>:ht,  a  whitv-brown  fell  on  tliem. 
Her  skin  has  not  that  silky  smoothness  of  touch  comn^on 
to  the  Zanzibaris,  but  altogether  she  is  a  very  pleasing 
little  creature. 

Mairii   VM  to  April   1.9A— By  the  25tli  I  was  well 


'I    i 


OUR  FIELDS   OF   CO  UN. 


'Am 


enough  to  })e  al)le  to  move  {il)out  a  few  luiiidred  vards 
at  a  time.  Mv  arm  was  still  stiff"  and  I  was  exceedinfrlv 
feeble.  Nelson  has  recovered  somewhat  fr(^m  his 
successive  fits  of  illness.  During  my  convalescence  I 
liave  been  supported  each  afternoon  to  the  centre  of  a 
lofty  colonnade  of  trees,  through  which  our  road  to  the 
Nyanza  leads,  wdiere  in  an  easy  chair  I  have  passed  hours 
of  reading  and  drowsino;. 

It  has  been  a  dailv  deli<j[lit  while  helped  to  mv  leafv 
arcade  to  observe  the  I'apid  change  In  the  growth  of 
the  corn  in  the  fields,  and  to  see  how  we  have  been 
encroaching  upon  the  forest.  Oui'  cultivable  area,  after 
being  cleaned,  hoed,  and  planted,  was  not  long  left  with 
its  bare  brown  face  naked.  ( )n  a  certain  day  it  became 
green  with  the  young  corn  blades,  it  had  sprouted  by 
thousands  as  though  at  the  woi'd  of  command.  Only 
vesterdav,  as  it  were,  we  smiled  to  see  the  tender  white 
stalk  arched  for  a  spring  under  a  slowly  rising  clod,  and 
now  the  clods  have  been  brushed  aside,  the  arched 
stalks  have  sprung  upright,  and  the  virgin  plants  have 
unfolded  their  tendei*  green  crests.  Day  by  day  it  has 
been  a  wonder  how  the  corn  has  thriven  and  grown, 
with  what  vioour  the  stalks  have  thickened,  enlarged  in 
leaf,  and  deepened  in  green.  Side  by  side  in  due  rank 
and  order  they  have  risen,  the  blades  have  extended 
towards  one  another  in  loving  embrace,  until  the  whole 
has  beccmie  a  solid  square  field  of  corn,  the  murnmr  of 
which  is  like  the  distant  wash  of  a  languid  sea  over  a 
pebldy  beach. 

This  is  the  music  to  which  T  listen  devoutly,  while  my 
medical  friend  sits  not  far  off  on  the  watch,  and  sentries 
stand  still  at  each  end  of  the  avenue  (m  guard.  A 
gentle  breeze  blows  over  the  forest  an<l  breathes  upon' 
the  col'u,  causing  a  universal  shiver  and  motion  through- 
out, an«l.  I  :'t  watching  the  corn  tops  sway  and  nod,  and 
salute  each  other,  with  the  l)eautiful  grace  and  sweet 
undertones  of  many  wavelets,  until  drowsiness  over- 
comes me  and  seals  my  senses,  and  sleep  bears  me  to 
the  region  of  fantasy.  As  the  sun  appears  low  in  the 
west,  and   lights  the  underwood  horizontally  with  mellow 

VOL.    I.  Y 


1HH8. 
.Miiic.h  25. 

Fort  Bodo. 


n 


■  1*1  i 


1' 


4«t' 


{4w 


I 


I  ' 


370 


IN  DAliKEtiT  AFRICA. 


'%M         ■ 


riiiW' 


•  I?/ 


I 


1888.     light,  niy  kind  doctor  assists  me  to  my  feet  and  props 
March  L'5.  ^^^  ^^  j  wend  to  tlic  F(jrt,  mv  corn  with  dancin*'-  motion 

Fort  Bodo.         i  •  1  •  1  r  "  i'  11 

and  wavmo'  ^rac^e  luddinoj  me  larewell. 

In  the  warm  teeming'  soil  the  ccn'n  has  grown  apace 
until  it  has  reached  a  prodigious  height,  tall  as  the 
underwood  of  the  forest.  Only  a  xcw  weeks  jigo  ] 
searched  amid  the  clods  for  a  sign  of  sprouting  •  a  little 
later  and  i  might  still  have  seen  a  scampering  mouse  ;  a 
few  days  ago  it  was  breast  high  ;  to-day  I  look  up  and  1 
can  s(;arcely  touch  the  point  of  a  rapier-like  blade  with  a 
five-foot  staff,  and  a  troop  of  elephants  might  stand 
underneath  undetected.  It  has  alreadv  fl(jwered  ;  the 
ears,  great  and  swelling  Iving  snug  in  their  manifohl 
sheaths,  give  {)i'omise  o  "  an  abunchmt  harvest,  and  1  glow 
with  [)leasure  at  the  thought  that,  while  absent,  there 
need  be  no  anxiety  about  the  future. 

]  am  resolve*!  to-moi'row  to  make  a  move  towards  the 
Nvanza  with  the  boat.  This  is  the  fortv-sixth  day  oi" 
Stairs'  absence.  I  had  sent  twenty  couriers — one  of 
wdiom  returned  later  -to  Major  Barttelot.  Stairs  Mid 
iiis  pei'sonal  attendants  numbered  seven.  1  shall  leave 
forty-nine  in  fort  ;  inclusive  of  Nelson  there  will  be 
12(1  men  left  to  escort  the  boat  to  the  Nyan/a.  Total, 
201  of  advance  column  remaining  out  of  .'389,  ex- 
clusive of  such  convalescents  as  may  be  obtained  at 
Uii'arrowwa's. 

Tippa-Tib  has  evidently  been  faithless,  and  the  Major 
is  therefore  working  the  double  stages,  some  hundreds  of 
miles  behind  ;  the  nineteen  couriers  are  spee<ling  towards 
him,  and  are  proba])ly  opposite  the  Nepoko  at  this  date, 
and  Stairs  has  found  so  many  men  yet  ci'ippled  with 
ulcers  that  lie  is  unaltle  to  travel  fnst.  With  120  men 
1  attempt  the  relief  of  Emin  Paslia  the  second  time.  The 
iiarrisou  consists  of  all  those  wlio  suffer  from  del)ilitv, 
aiui3niia  who  were  fellow-sufferers  with  Nelson  at 
Starvation  ( 'am])  and  leg  sores,  some  of  which  are 
perfectly  incurable. 

'I'lie  labour  performed  about  the  fort  is  extensive. 
Nelson  has  an  im[)regnable  place.  The  fields  of  corn 
and  beans  are  thriving,  and  of  the  latter  I  have  enjoyed 


LIFE  AT  FORT  DODO. 


871 


,'i  first  dish  to-day.  The  plantain  onjvos  appear  to  ])e 
inexliaustihle. 

Our  l>road  roads  exten«l  alumt  half  a  mile  each  way. 
Ten  scouts  patrol  the  plantations  every  niorninsi;,  that 
the  mischievous  pigmies  may  not  destioy  the  supplies 
of  the  o'arrison,  and  that  no  sudden  onsets  of  natives 
may  l)e  made  up(^n  the  field  hands  while  at  work. 

Surgeon  Parke  accompanies  us  to  the  Nyanza  to- 
morrow according  to  his  own  earnest  recjuest.  Though 
his  place  is  in  the  fort  with  the  invalids,  there  are  none 


March  -J.'.. 
Fort  liodo. 


WITHIN    FOUT   BODO. 


who  require  greater  attention  than  can  he  given  l>y 
Captain  Nelson  tlirough  his  hoys,  who  have  been  in- 
structed in  the  art  of  hathing  the  sores  wi  loiA)ns  of 
carliolic  acid  and  water. 

Our  men  on  the  Sundays  have  amused  themselves 
with  performing  military  evolutions  after  the  method 
taught  by  (Jeneral  Mafthews  at  Zanziitar.  They  are 
sucii  capital  mimics  that  his  very  voice  and  gesture  have 
hecn  faithfully  imitated. 

liife  at  Fort  I^odo,  on  the  whole,  lias  not  heen  un- 
l)leasant  except  for  Oaptain   Nelson  anil  mysuf.      It   is 


tin 


a  n: 


n 


I 


•1 
1. 1 


.11! 


I'  ">7l 


372 


IN  DARKEST  AFIUCA. 


1888.     true  we  liave  fretted  and  never  ])een  free  from  anxiety 
"''^  '■^"  respectin<jj  tlie  wliereal)()uts  and  fate  of  our  friends.     We 

tortBodo   i^i'^i  •  ,1  ,  111- 

nave  also  been  anxious  to  depart  and  be  doinoj  some 
thino;  towards  terminatinu  our  lalK)urs,  but  circum- 
stances  wliieli  we  cannot  control  rise  constantlv  to  thwart 
our  aims.  We  have  therefore  striven  to  employ  every 
leisure  hour  towards  providino-  unstinted  supplies  of 
food,  in  the  hope  that  fortune  will  be  good  enough  to 
veer  round  once  in  our  favour,  and  bring  Barttelot  and 
our  friends  Jameson,  Ward,  Troup,  and  Bonny,  with 
their  little  army  of  men,  to  Fort  Bodo  before  our  second 
return  from  the  Nyanza. 


CHAPTER   XIV 


TO    THE    ALBERT    NYANZA    A    SECOND    TIME. 


■J- 


w. 


Difficulties  with  the  steel  boat — African  forest  craft — Splendid  capture 
of  pigmies,  and  descrij^tion  of  the  same— We  cross  the  Ituri  river — 
Dr.  Parke's  delight  on  leaving  the  forest — Camp  at  Besso — Zanzibari 
wit — At  Nzera-Kum-hill  once  more — Intercourse  with  tlie  natives — 
"  Malleju,"  or  the  "  Bearded  One,"  being  first  news  of  Emin — Visit 
from  chief  Mazamboni  and  his  followers— Jephson  goes  through  the 
form  of  friendship  with  Mazamboni — The  medicine  men,  Nestor  and 
Murabo  —  The  tribes  of  the  Congo — Visit  from  chief  Gavira — A 
Mhuma  chief — The  Bavira  and  Wahuma  races — The  varying  African 
features— Friendshij)  with  Mpinga — Gavira  and  the  looking-glass- 
Exposed  Uzanza — ^^  e  reach  Kavalli — The  chief  j)roduces"  Malleju's  " 
letter — Emin's  letter — Jephson  and  Parke  convey  the  steel  boat  to 
the  lake — Copy  of  letter  sent  by  me  to  Emin  through  Jejjhson — 
Friendly  visits  from  natives. 

On  the  2nd  day  of  April,  1888,  after  a  drizzly  rain  had 
ceased  to  fidl,  we  filed  out  at  noon  with  a  view  to  at- 
tempt a  second  time  to  find  the  Pasha,  or  to  penetrate 
the  silence  around  him.  We  had  now  our  steel  boat  in 
twelve  sections,  and  the  stem  and  stern  being  rather 
l)eamy  we  discovered  very  soon  th  ':  a  good  deal  of 
cutting  with  axes  and  hill -hooks  was  required  to  permit 
them  to  pass  between  the  trees.  The  caravan  in  single 
file,  laden  with  boxes,  bales,  and  baggage,  would  find  no 
difficulty  :  the  narrower  sections  two  feet  wide  passed 
through  without  trou])le.  but  the  plough-shaped  stem 
and  stern  pieces  soon  became  jammed  between  two 
colossal  trees  which  compelled  a  retreat  and  a  detour 
through  the  bush,  and  tliis  could  not  be  effected  without 
clearing  a  passage.  It  was  scum  evident  that  our  sec<md 
trip  to  the  Nyanza  through  the  forest  would  consume 
S(mie  days. 

The    advance    guard    scanning   the    track,  and  fullv 


1888. 
April  2. 

Forct. 


i   It 


[':r 


874 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


1.    , 


1  ,f: 


In.k- 
mwiini 


1888.  lessoned  in  all  the  crooked  ways  and  wiles  of  the  pi<»^mies 
April  4.  .j^jj^^  ahoi'igines,  pic^ked  up  many  a  eleverly-hidden  skewer 
from  the  path.  At  some  points  they  were  freely  planted 
under  an  o(hl  leaf  or  two  of  phryniuni,  or  at  the  l)ase  of 
a  loir,  over  whi(^h,  as  over  a  stile,  a  wayfarer  miyht 
stride  and  plant  his  foot  deep  into  a  harbed  skewer  well 
smeared  with  dark  poison.  But  we  were  too  learned 
now  in  the  art  of  African  forestcraft,  and  tlie  natives 
were  not  so  skilled  in  the  invention  of  expedients  as  to 
produce  new  styles  of  molestation  and  annoyance. 

The  dwarfs'  villaoe  at  the  crossinij;-  was  our  next  restino- 
place,  and  Indt'-mwani  was  reached  on  the  4th.  The  next 
day  we  moved  to  another  dwarfs'  village,  and  in  the 
neighbouring  plantain  grove  Saat  Tato  and  a  few  friends, 
while  collecting  a  few  of  the  fruit,  made  a  splendid 
capture  of  pigmies.  We  had  four  women  and  a  boy, 
and  in  them  I  saw  two  distinct  types.  One  evidently 
belonoed  to  that  same  race  described  as  the  Akka,  with 
small,  cunning,  monkey  eyes,  close,  and  deeply  set.  The 
four  others  possessed  large,  round  eyes,  full  and  pro- 
minent, broad  round  foreheads  and  round  faces,  small 
hands  and  feet,  with  slight  prognathy  of  jaws,  figures 
well  formed,  though  diminutive,  and  of  a  l)ricky  com- 
plexion. "  Partial  roast  coti'ee,"  "  chocolate,"  "  cocoa," 
and  "  c((fi'  (lit  laif,"  are  terms  that  do  not  describe  the 
colour  correctly,  but  the  common  red  clay  brick  when 
half  baked  would  correspond  best  in  colour  to  that  of  the 
complexion  of  these  little  people.  8aat  Tato  reported 
that  there  were  al)out  twenty  of  them  stealing  plantains 
which  belonged  to  the  natives  of  Indepuya,  who  were 
probably  deterred  from  defending  their  property  by  the 
rumour  of  our  presence  in  the  woods.  The  monkey- 
eyed  woman  had  a  remarkable  pair  of  mischievous  orbs, 
protruding  lips  overhanging  her  chin,  a  prominent 
aluhmien,  narrow,  flat  chest,  sh)ping  shoulders,  long- 
arms,  feet  turned  greatly  inwai'ds  and  very  short  lower 
legs,  as  being  fitly  characteristic  of  the  link  hmg  sought 
between  the  average  modern  humanity  and  its  Darwinian 
progenitors,  and  certainly  deserving  of  being  classed  as 
an  extremely  low,  degraded,  almost  a  bestial  type  of  a 


fi  r  ] 


\'H:'^ 


CAI'TlltK   OF    WAMIHITTI   PKiMIES. 


IikIo- 
niwniii. 


liuniaii  Itcini^'.  ( )no  of  tlic  others  was  a  woman  evidently  issr 
a  niotlier,  tliouuli  slie  conM  not  liaxc  seen  lier  seventeentli  '^j""''  ^ 
year.  No  f'anlt  conld  l>e  found  in  the  pro[)ortion  of  j^ny 
one  meni))er  ;  her  e(miplexion  was  hri^ht  and  healthy  ; 
her  eyes  were  brilliant,  round,  and  lar^e  ;  her  upper  lip  had 
the  peculiar  cut  of  that  of  the  Wanihutti  noticeahle  in  the 
woman  at  llgarrowwas,  and  the  chief's  wife  of  indekaru, 
which  is  the  upper  edge  curving  upward  with  a  shaij) 
angle  and  dro[)ping  perpendicularly,  r<'send»ling  greatly 
a  clean  up  and  down  <-ut  with  a  <'url  up  of  the  skin  as 
thouu'li  it  had  contracted  somewhat.  1  believe  this  to 
he  as  marked  a  feature  of  the  \Vand)utti  as  the  full 
nether  lip  is  said  to  he  characteiisti(;  of  the  Austrian. 
The  colour  of  the  lips  was  j)iidvish.  1'he  hands  were 
small,  fingers  delicate  and  long,  hut  skinny  and  puckei'ed, 
the  feet  measured  seven  inches  and  her  height  was  four 
feet  four  inches. 

So  perfect  were  the  proportions  of  this  girl-mothei' 
that  she  appeared  at  first  to  he  l>ut  an  undci-sized 
W(mian,  her  low  stature  being  but  the  result  of  [)rema- 
ture  sexual  intei-course  or  some  other  accidental  circum- 
stance, ])ut  when  we  placed  s<mie  of  our  Zanzibar  b(>ys 
of"  fifteen  and  sixteen  years  old  by  her  side,  and  finally 
placed  a  w<mian  of  the  agricultural  aborigines  near  iiej-, 
it  was  clear  to  everyone  that  these  small  creatures  were 
a  distinct  race. 

Three  hours  beyond  this  great  Mbutti  village  wc 
reached  Bai'va-Kunva  amid  a  drizzlv  rain. 

On  the  Hth  we  reached  Indepessu,  and  two  (hiys  later 
we  travelle<l  fnnn  the  base  of  Pisgah,  along  an  easterly 
path,  a  new  track  which  led  us  through  the  little  villages 
of  Mande  to  the  Ituri  river.  The  natives  had  all  fled 
from  Mande  and  the  slopes  of  risgali  across  the  river 
with  their  movable  property,  and  the  men  were  awaiting 
events  on  the  left  baidv,  confident  that  they  were  beyond 
reach.  As  we  emerged  into  view  on  the  right  bank  I 
was  ([uite  struck  with  the  light  brown  mass  the  warriors 
made  aoaiust  the  blackish  <>reen  of  the  veuetatioii  behind 
them.  JIad  they  been  of  the  colour  of  the  /.inzibrcris 
they  would  have  formed  an  almost  black  mass,  but  they 


wv- 


H 


^i-\ 


BiM 


0(  ') 


JN  DARKEHT  AFRICA. 


»!<!' 


!     I 


I  :i  :i 


Mande. 


i8«8.  ro.seiiil)lL'(l  in  colinir  the  o^hreous  clay  hanks  of  tliis  river. 
Aprils.  7^1, (3y  t^]i(,t  ii  fe^v  arrows  amongst  us  across  tlie  150  yards 
wide  stream  ;  some  fell  short  and  others  hurtled  harm- 
lessly l»v  us  several  yards.  In  our  turn  we  replied  and 
a  general  scamper  occurred,  rsinety  minutes  later  the 
Expedition  was  across  the  Ituri  ])y  means  of  the  hoat. 
The  vanguard  picked  up  a  ten-pound  packet  of  clean 
native  salt  which  had  been  dropped  by  the  natives  in 
their  Hight.  Salt  was  a  condiment  greatly  needed,  and 
we  were  greatly  rejoiced  at  the  prize.  We  were  now  in 
the  territory  of  the  Bakuba,  near  the  clearing  of  Kande- 
kore,  whi(;h  was  one  of  the  richest  clearings  in  the  forest 
of  the  Upper  Congo  basin.  On  the  edge  of  the  bank 
we  were  ;{,000  feet  al)ove  the  sea. 

Three-and-a-half  hours'  march  from  the  Ituri,  we 
issued  out  of  the  forest,  and  again  the  change  from 
perpetual  twilight  to  brilliant  sunlight,  and  a  ])lue  sky 
was  astonishing,  and  we  all  smiled  to  witness  its  effects 
on  the  ner\'es  of  (nir  gentle  friend  and  companion,  the 
first  son  of  Erin  who  had  ever  viewed  the  grass  lands 
of  these  reoions.  This  was  the  28i)th  dav  of  l)r.  Parke's 
forest  life,  and  the  effect  of  this  sudden  emergence  out 
of  the  doleful  shades  in  view  of  this  enlarged  view  from 
the  green  earth  to  the  shining  and  glowing  concave  of 
Heaven  caused  him  to  (juiver  with  delight.  Deep 
draughts  of  (;hampagne  could  not  have  painted  his 
cheeks  w^th  a  deeper  hue  than  did  this  exhilarating 
prospect  which  now  met  him. 

On  the  road  just  l)ef(n-e  leaving  the  bush  we  passed  a 
place  where  an  elephant  spear  had  fallen  to  the  ground, 
and  buried  itself  so  deep  that  three  men  were  una]>le  to 
heave  it  up.  Such  a  force,  we  argued,  would  have  slain 
an  elephant  on  the  instant. 

While  sketching  I'isoah  Mountain  in  the  afternoon 
from  our  first  camp  in  the  pasture  land,  I  o])served  a 
cloud  approaching  it  from  the  N.W.,  and  all  the  forest 
beyond  was  shaded  by  its  deep  shadows,  while  the 
rolling  plains  still  basked  in  hot  sunshine.  Presently 
another  (;loud  from  the  S.H  appeared  round  the  southern 
extremity  of   ^Iazam])oni's  range,  and  as  it  advanced, 


ri  I 


THE    VILLAGE   OF   II ESSE. 


a 


I  i 


spread  over  the  hlue  sky,  uiid  ])ef'ame  merged  witli  the 
cloud  over  the  forest,  and  then  rain  fell. 

At  an  altitude  of  ;i,200  feet  above  the  sea  the  village 
of  Besse  is  situated,  seven  hours'  niareh  from  the  ituri. 
Though  it  was  yet  early  forenoon  we  camped,  the 
abundance  of  good  ripe  l)ananas,  corn,  fowls,  sugar-cane, 
and  l)anana  wine  being  very  tempting,  and  the  distance 
to  other  villages  east  ])eing  unknown.  Quite  an  active 
skirmish  soon  o(!curred  while  we  were  enyaoed  making 
ready  our  (quarters.  Fetteh,  the  sole  interpreter  to  the 
tribes  of  the  plains,  was  grievously  wounded  over  the 
stomach.  The  Babesse'  attempted  various  means  to 
molest  us  as  the  long  grass  favoured  them,  but  by  post- 
ing sharpshooters  in  the  native  lookouts  in  the  trees 
the  knowledge  that  their  tactics  were  supervised  soon 
demoralised  them. 

We  had  some  speech  by  means  of  a  native  of  Uganchi 
with  one  of  these  natives,  who  amoni"-  his  remarks 
said,  "  We  are  quite  assured  that  you  ])lack  men  are 
creatures  like  ourselves,  but  what  of  those  white  chiets 
of  yours  ?     Whence  (h)  they  come  {  " 

"  Oh,"  our  man  replied,  with  wonderful  facility  for 
fraudful  speech,  "  their  faces  change  with  the  birth  of 
each  moon,  when  the  moon  is  getting  full  their  colour 
is  dark  like  our  own.  They  are  diti'erent  from  us,  as 
they  came  from  above  originally." 

"  Ah,  true,  it  must  be  so,"  responded  the  astonished 
native,  as  he  brought  his  hand  up  to  his  mouth  fnmi 
politeness,  to  cover  the  mouth  that  expanded  with 
surprise. 

The  more  we  understjind  the  lanouage  of  these  natives, 
the  more  we  are  struck  with  the  identitv  of  a  common 
origin.  How  could  such  as  these  people  have  ever  heard 
of  such  a  thing  as  wit.  I  heard  one  native  sav  to  a 
Zanzibari  who  had  met  more  than  his  match  when  he 
burst  out  so  impatiently  at  one  who  had  staggered 
against  him, 

"  Such  a  fool  as  thou  wast  surely  never  seen  else- 
where 1  " 

To  which  the  native  replied,  with  a  benevolent  smile, 


lft88. 
April  12. 

Bess6. 


if 


i-iii: 


» 


:  Aft 
1, 

Is 

1 

1^' 

1 

t 
■  'i 

1, 

£..      :[ 

mi4 

\ 

m^ 

!' 

lii 

i 

ml 

11' 

\ 

i! 


!ii}i 


'« 


,!'r 


1888. 
April  12. 

I3ess(-. 


878 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


"  Ay,    it    is    my    lord,   who    is    the    sok'    posses.sor   of 
wisdom." 

"All,  Itiit  vou  are  wickedness  itself"  ([)ersonified). 

"  '  must  not  deny  it,  for  all  goodness  is  with  thee."' 
IS  a  common  reply  amony'  a  certain  ehiss  of  white 
lolks  when  one  is  accused  of  hein^  naughty,  to  reply  to 
the  accuser  that  he  is  a  jjjentleman,  hut  it  must  he 
admitted  that  the  African  replv  is  not  inferior  in 
politeness. 

A  little  east  of  Bes.'-e  we  lost  the  native  track,  and 
were  ohlioed  to  strike  across  country,  steering;  sti'aii>lit 
for  lindussuma  Peak  wliich  now  henan  to  lift  itself  into 
view,  over  the  swells  of  ^rass-land  that  spread  in  yreat 
waves  towards  its  foot.  The  sun  was  fearfully  liot,  and 
as  the  march  was  mainly  throunh  tall  yrass,  we  were 
irreatlv  fatigued.  In  the  afternoon  we  reached  a  wooded 
hollow  near  a  pellucid  cool  stream,  wliich  had  its  l)irtli- 
place  somewhere  among  the  slopes  of  Undussuma  lvani>e 
now  distant  alxmt  five  miles. 

On  the  14th,  after  a  march  of  six  hours,  we  were 
camped  on  the  spnr  of  Nzera  Kimi  hill,  and  l)ef()re  us 
was  the  same  scene  wdiich  on  the  lOth  and  11th  oi 
Decemher  witnessed  our  strupjfrles  for  mastery  with 
Mazamhoni  and  his  tribe.  So  far  our  expeiiences  on 
this  journey  were  very  ditlerent.  We  saw  no  leaping 
exultiuii'  warriors,  nor  heard  a  sinoie  menace  or  war-crv  : 
but,  as  we  intended  to  halt  here  a  day,  it  was  necessary 
to  know  what  to  exi)ect,  and  we  despat(;lied  our  Alganda 
interpreter  to  hail  the  natives,  who  were  seated  afar  otf 
on  the  hilltops  looking  down  upon  us.  At  5  p.m.  after 
several  patient  efforts,  they  were  induced  to  descend 
and  approach,  and  they  finally  entered  our  camp.  The 
process  of  estal)lishing  a  friendship  then  was  easy.  We 
could  look  into  one  another's  faces,  and  read  as  in  a 
book  what  each  thought  of  the  other,  AVe  mutually 
exchange*!  views,  wherein  they  learned  that  we  only 
needed  a  free  passage  to  the  Lake  unmolested,  that  we 
had  not  appeared  as  enemies,  but  strangers  seeking  a 
halting-place  for  the  night,  to  pursue  our  road  the  next 
day  without  disturbance.     They  pleaded,  as  an  excuse 


!'!i ,: 


MALLK.IV;'    on    TIIK  '' HK.UtDKD    OA'AV 


.S71) 


Umlus- 
sumn. 


for  tlu'ir  foniioi-  lu'luivionr,  tlmt  tlicy  wow  Mssurcd  \\v     i8si«. 
were  Warn  Sura  (soldiers  of  Kahlta  lloua)   who  iH-riodi-   ^i""'' i** 
callv  visited  tlioir  coiintrv,  devastated   tlieir  land,  and 
carried  off  their  cattle. 

When  we  were  ])oth  convinced  that  friendship  was 
|)ossil)le,  that  our  former  niisunderstandin.L''  should  not 
interfere  with  our  future  relations,  they  heard  the 
mystery  of  our  presence  explained,  that  we  were  only 
travelling'  to  discover  a  white  cliief,  who  years  aLio  was 
reported  to  he  somewiiere  near  the  sea  of  I'nyoro.  Had 
they  evei'  heard  of  sucli  a  man  ( 

'I'hey  answered  eagerly,  "  Al)out  two  moons  after  you 
passed  us — when  you  came  from  the  Nyanza — a  white 
man  called  '  Mdllijit,'  or  the  Jii'tirdcd  One,  readied 
Katonza's  in  a  ])in;  canoe,  all  of  iron. 

"  Mother!  however  could  she  float ;  and  in  the  middle 
of  it  there  rose  a  tall  Mack  tree,  and  out  of  it  came 
smoke  and  sparks  of  fire,  and  there  were  many  many 
strange  people  aboard,  and  thei'e  were  ^oats  running' 
ahout  as  in  a  village  s(|uare,  and  fowls  in  hoxes  with 
bars,  and  we  heard  the  cocks  crow  as  merrily  as  they  do 
among  our  millet.  A/dl/tju  with  a  deep  deep  voice 
asked  alxmt  you — his  brothers'  What  Katonza  said  to 
him  we  do  not  know,  but  MdUcjii  went  away  in  the  big 
ir(m  canoe,  which  sent  as  nuich  smoke  up  into  the  air  as 
though  she  was  on  fire.  Have  no  doubt  you  will  find 
him  soon  ;  Mazaml)()ni  shall  send  his  runners  to  the 
Lake,  and  bv  to-morrow's  sunset  Katonza  shall  be  told 
of  the  arrival  of  Mttlh'jtCs  brother." 

This  was  the  first  news  we  had  heard  of  Emin  I'aslia, 
and  it  was  with  the  view  of  this  news  spreading  abroad, 
and  for  preparing  the  natives  for  the  ii'ruption  of 
strangers  out  of  the  unknown  west,  that  1  had  sent 
couriers  from  Zanzibar  in  February,  1887.  Had  Kmin, 
who  expected  us  December  ir)th,  l)ut  taken  the  trouble 
to  have  sent  his  steamers  a  nine-hours'  steaming 
distance  from  his  station  of  Mswa,  we  slundd  have  met 
with  his  people  December  14th,  been  spared  five  days' 
fighting,  a  four  months'  loss  of  time,  and  on  or  about 
the  15th  of  March  I  should  have  been  within  the  pali- 


•lir 


i: 

If 

,: 

1 

,i4i.; 

: 

i 

mm 


\ . 


Vm<. 


w 


In  0 


I'll 


|1  . 


i    I 


Pli'. 


!1 


,1        ,t 


880 


J\   DAllKKST  AFIUCA. 


Uniliitt 
suinii, 


iMHH.      sudcs  of  Vainlmya   in   tinic   to  save   Barttclot   from   his 
April  1 4.   ji^sassiii,  .lamcson  tVom  l»is  fatal  fever  au.i-k,  Troup  fioni 
tlio  necessity  of  l>ein<^  invalided   lionu',  ^\  ard  from   his 
wholly  useless  missi(>n  to  St.  Paul  de    I^oanda,  and    Mr. 
I5onnv  fi'oni  davs  of  distress  at  Hanalva. 

The  ne.xt  (hiy  was  a  severe  one  for  me.  All  the 
talkini;  was  levelled  at  me,  and  I  was  imprisone*!  in  mv 
chair  from  dawn  to  dusk  Ity  crowils  of  liavira  ani'i- 
culturists  and  Wahuma  she{)her(ls  and  herdsmen,  chiefs 
ami  slaves,  princes  and  peasants,  warriors  and  women. 
It  was  ini{)olitic  to  stir  from  the  close  circle  which  the 
combined  oli,uarchy  and  democracy  of  I'ndussuma  had 
formed  around  me.  What  refreshments  were  taken 
were  handed  to  me  over  the  heads  of  noh'es  and  serfs 
five  deep.  My  chair  was  in  the  centre,  three  undtrella 
l>earers  relieved  one  another — the  sun  ran  his  course 
from  east  to  west  ;  it  olowed  at  noon  hours  with  the 
intense  heat  known  in  torrid  deserts,  from  three  to  five 
it  scorched  my  l)ack,  then  it  Itecame  coolei',  l)ut  until 
the  circles  broke  and  were  dissolved  ])y  the  approaching' 
cold  {iccom[)anyini;'  the  dusk,  1  was  a  martyr  to  the 
cause  of  human  brotherhood. 

At  a  very  early  hour  Mazam])()ni  appeared  outside  of 
the  zeriba  with  an  imposinLf  retiime  of  followers.  lie 
was  e.scorted  to  the  middle  of  the  camp  with  every 
mark  of  respe(;t,  officers  <»;ra''efully  l)owin_i;' their  welcome. 
Zanzibaris  and  Soudanese,  wlio  had  chased  him  and  his 
leuions  over  the  hills  in  December,  lookini>'  as  innocent 
as  though  they  had  never  tasted  meat  and  smiling  a 
summer  greeting.  Our  ])est  mats  were  spread  under  a 
sicklv  dwarf  tree  for  the  convenience  of  the  auii:ust 
guest,  ivory  horns  gave  forth  mellow  blares,  reminding 
me  of  the  imperial  court  of  the  Ramessean  autocrat  of 
Uganda,  Usoga,  and  the  island  archipelagoes  of  the 
Mctorian  Sea.  Nothing  was  (miitted  that  experience 
with  a  thousand  chiefs  of  dark  Africa  had  tauoht  me 
was  iiecessarv  for  liu:htiiii»"  up  a  swarthv  face  with 
humour,  pleasure,  content,  and  perfect  trust.  .Mazam- 
boni  accepted  every  attention  as  his  by  right  Divine, 
but  no  smile  or  word  greeted  us.     Was  the  man  deaf  and 


CHIEF  MA/AMIiOSr    VISITS    IS. 


»«1 


4 


diinil)  :*  Xo  ;  lie  s|)«»k('  lnicHy  Mini  low  to  liissult-chict's.  jmd 
liis  satellites  roared  with  lnill  voices,  as  tliou^h  1  iiecMled 
an  auricular  trunn)et  to  heai-,  and  the  sounds  stuiuied 
me  as  though  they  were  run^'  with  a  trip-hammer. 

"My  friends,"  said  I,  "  my  head  will  crack  if  you  ^o 
on  thus  ;  hesidcs,  you  know  wisdom  is  precious.  Why 
should  the  herd  hear  State  policy  f' 

"Ah,  trulv!"  said  one  sa^c  with  a  heard  as  whiic  as 
the  father  of  the  Connn(>ns  oui^ht  to  have.  Nestor 
lowered  his  voice,  and  ^liarrulously  rehearsed  the  history 
of  the  land,  described  the  etlect  created  upon  it  l>y  the 
column's  a[)proach  in  J)ecend>er,  the  hasty  councils  that 
were  liehl,  and  the  rash  resolution  they  had  adopted, 
confessing-  that  when  they  heard  there  were  white  men 
with  the  stran,u;ers  they  suspected  they  were  wron<jj 
in  c,()iitinuin«!;  their  hostile  attitude,  l>ut  the  youthful 
warriors  had  been  too  im])etuous  and  overrulecl  the 
cautious  counsels  of  the  ancients  of  their  tribe  ;  that  when 
thev  had  seen  us  return  from  the  Nvanza  and  depart  in 
peace  towards  the  forest,  they  then  knew  that  the  Wara 
Sura,  as  we  were  believed  to  be,  would  never  have  re- 
turned so  soon  from  their  own  Lake,  but  would  havii 
crossed  the  Semliki  to  their  own  country,  and  then, 
when  they  had  heard  of  MdUcjn,  the  white  chief  of  the 
iron  canoe,  was  seeking  for  us,  they  were  convinced  they 
had  been  all  wrono."  "  But  never  mind,"  said  we, 
"  the  strant^ers  will  return  fnmi  the  Kivira  (forest), 
and  we  shall  make  it  up  with  them.  If  they  seek  our 
friendship  they  shall  have  it,  and  Mazamlxmi's  blood 
shall  minolc  with  that  of  their  chief;  and  we  shall  be 
one  people,  and  lo !  you  have  come,  and  the  di'eams  of 
our  wise  men  have  beccmie  real  facts.  Mazam])oni  sits 
as  a  brother  l)y  the  side  of  the  white  (-hief ;  let  us  see 
the  blood  mingle,  and  never  a  cloud  shall  come  between 
you  while  you  are  in  the  land  ;  the  belongings  of  j\la- 
zamboni  are  yours,  his  warriors,  wives,  ehihlren,  the 
land  and  all  that  stands  on  the  face  of  it  are  vours. 
Have  I  said  well,  oh,  warriors  ?  " 

"  Well  and  truly  you  have  spoken,"  murmured  the 
circles. 


18HH. 
April  IT). 

L  III!  118- 
siiniii. 


m 


if 


1  i 


'I  I 


i. 


m 


;!i  i 


It^i 


lit : 


vM 


^%. 


I'w. 


1888. 
April  14. 

L'lulii.s- 


382 


IN  DAIih'ESr  AFRICA. 


'"  Sliall  Mazcimhoiii  be  ti  son  of  '  Bulii  Maturi  ? '  " 

"He  shall." 

"  Shall  there  be  true  })eace  between  us  and  the 
strangers  V 

"  Yea,"  came  in  an  emotion  il  shout  from  the  mass. 

Then  the  nmtual  right  hands  of  my  son,  Mr,  Jephson. 
who  volunteered  to  be  saeritieed,  were  clasped  crosswise 
over  the  crossed  knee-;,  the  native  Professor  of  Medicine 
made  a  slight  incision  in  his  arm  until  the  red  blood 
dyed  it.  i\iy  Professor  of  Secret  Ritualism  caused  the 
dark  red  blood  of  Mazand)oni  to  well  out  of  the 
vein,  and  as  the  li(juid  of  life  flowed  and  dropped  over 
tiic  knees,  the  incantations  were  commenced  by  the  saj^e 
witii  the  white  l)eard,  and  as  he  shook  the  pebbles  i  » 
the  nia^nic  ♦•ourd  at  the  ran^e  of  the  peak  opposite,  and 
at  the  horse-shoe  ranue  yonder  in  the  plains,  and  to 
eastward  and  westward  of  the  valley,  he  delivered  his 
terrible  curses  from  the  summit  of  Nzera-Kum,  and  all 
men  listened  unto  him  with  open  lips  : — 

"  Cursed  is  he  who  ])reaks  his  pliohted  vow. 

"Coursed  is  he  who  nourisheth  secret  hate. 

'•  Cursed  is  he  who  turneth  his  back  against  his 
fi'iend. 

"  Cursed  is  he  who  in  the  day  of  war  denieth  his 
bi'(»thor. 

"Cursed  is  he  who  deviseth  evil  to  his  friend  whose 
blood  has  become  one  with  his  own. 

"  ^\lay  the  itch  make  him  loathsome,  and  the  hair  of 
his  head  be  lost  bv  the  mani>'e  ;  mav  the  adder  wait  for 
him  by  the  })ath.  and  the  lion  meet  him  on  his  way  ; 
may  the  leopard  in  the  darkmvss  besiege  his  house,  and 
his  wife  when  she  draweth  water  from  the  stream,  be 
seized  ;  may  the  barbed  arrow  pin  his  entrails,  and  the 
sharp  spear  be  dyed  in  his  vitals  :  may  sickness  waste  his 
stren^uth,  and  his  days  be  narrowed  with  disease  ;  may 
his  lindts  fail  hiiu  in  the  day  of  battle,  and  his  arms 
stitfen  with  cramps,"  an«l  s(>  on,  invoking'  every  evil  and 
disease  most  di'ea(led.  and  the  Zanzibari  Pi'ot\'ssor  of 
Secret  Kilualisni,  somewhat  (bnnbfounded  at  first  at 
the    series    of   curses  delivered   so   volubly   by   xSestor, 


i      !r  I 


THE  MEDICINE   MEN,   NESTOIi   AND    MriiAIiO. 


383 


stiuia. 


seized  his  magic  gourd,  and  shook  it  at  the  hills  and  the  isxs. 
valley,  at  the  head  of  Mazand)()ni  with  awful  solemnity  ;  ^^'"'''  ^*- 
at  Nestor  himself,  and  the  awe-struck  following  around, 
and  outdid  Nestoi',  from  perverted  ambition,  l)y  frenzy, 
voice,  and  gesture,  in  harmony  with  it  ;  his  eyes  rolled 
wildly,  foam  came  from  his  lips  ;  he  sunnnoned  every 
hlight  to  fall  upon  the  land  and  its  productions,  every 
damnahle  agency  in  his  folkdore  to  hound  j\Iazand»oni 
for  ever;  every  dark  and  p(,tent  spirit  out  of  the  lindu) 
of  evil  imatiination  to  torture  him  in  his  wakinii'  and 
sleeping  hours,  until  his  actions  were  so  fantastic,  his 
denunciation  so  outrageous,  his  looks  so  like  one 
possessed  with  a  demon,  that  everyone,  luitive  and 
Zanzihari,  broke  out  into  uncontrollable  lauuhter,  which 
caused  Murabo,  our  "medicine  man,"  to  sober  inst-iintly, 
and  to  say  in  Swahili  to  us,  with  a  conceited  shake  of 
the  head, 

"Ay!  master,  how  (h)  you  like  that  styic  for  high 
acting  i  "  which  reminded  me  of  nothing  so  much  as 
Handet  out-ranting  Laertes. 

Mazamboni,  though  undoubtedly  paramount  chief  of 
Undussuma,  seems  to  be  governed  by  an  unwritten  con- 
stitution. His  ministers  also  ai'e  his  princi|)al  kinsmen, 
wlio  conduct  foreign  an<l  home  ])olicy  even  in  his 
presence,  so  that  in  ail'airs  of  government  his  voice  is 
seldom  heard.  JMost  of  the  time  he  sat  silent  and 
reserved — one  miuht  almost  sav  inditlerent.  Thus  this 
unso])liisticated  African  chief  has  discovered  that — 
whether  from  intuition  or  tividitional  custom  it  is  hard 
to  say — it  is  best  to  divide  government,  if  the  ])rin- 
ciple  has  been  derived  from  custom,  it  proves  that  from 
the  Albert  Nyanza  down  to  the  Atlanti*-  the  thousand 
tribes  of  the  ('ongo  basin  s])ring  fi'om  one  jiai'dit  tribe, 
nation,  or  family.  The  similarity  in  other  customs, 
]>hysi()gnomy,  and  roots  of  languages,  lend  additional 
j)roofs  to  substantiate  this. 

We  discovered  that  tlu'  chiefs,  as  well  as  the  lesser 
folk,  were  ari'ant  Iteeears.  and  too  sordid  in  mind  to 
recognise  a  generous  act.  'I'hough  a  ])eace  was  stremi- 
ously  sought   l)y  all,  yet   the  gianting  of  it  seemed   to 


\\\'' 


i  ■'!! 


■n 


I 


1888. 
April  14. 

Undus- 
sunia. 


384 


7.V  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


them  to  })e  only  n  nieuns  of  ])eiiio;  cnriclied  with  o;ifts 
from  tlio  stranoers.  MazamlKmi,  even  after  a  long  day's 
work,  could  (mly  be  induced  to  give  more  than  a  calf 
and  five  goats  as  a  return  for  a  ten-guinea  rug,  a  bundle 
of  brass  wire,  and  ivory  horns  from  the  forest.  The 
chief  of  Urumangwa  and  Bwessa,  that  flourishing  settle- 
ment which  in  December 
had  so  astonished  us  witli 
its  prosperity,  likewise^ 
thought  that  he  was  ex- 
ceedingly liberal  by  en- 
dowing us  with  a  kid  and 
two  fowls. 

Among  our  visitors  to- 
day were  Gavira,  the  chief 
of  the  Eastern  Bavira. 
who  proclaimed  from  a  hill 
that  the  land  lay  at  our 
feet  when  we  were  return- 
ing from  the  Lake  ;  and 
also  a  Minima  chief,  who 
wore  unblushingly  the 
fine  scarlet  cloth  of  which 
we  had  l)een  mulcted  in 
December  to  buy  peace. 
He  never  offered  a  return 
gift  so  long  deferred. 

We  discovered  that 
there  w^ere  two  different 
and  distinctly  differing 
races  living  in  this  region 
in  harmony  with  each 
other,  one  being  clearly  of 
Indo-African  origin,  possessing  exceedingly  fine  features, 
aquiline  noses,  slender  necks,  small  heads,  with  a  grand 
and  proud  carriage  ;  an  old,  old  race,  possessing  splendid 
traditions,  and  ruled  by  inflexiltle  custom  which  would 
admit  of  no  deviation.  Though  the  majority  have  a 
mitty-brown  ('om[)le\ion,  s(mie  even  of  a  rich  dark  brown, 
the  purest  of  their  kind  resemble  ohl  ivory  in  colour,  and 


ONK   OF    .■MAZA.MItDNl  .S   WAUlilUIW. 


THE    WAIIVMA    AM)    IIAVIIIA    miUKH. 


\sr) 


Uniliis- 
suina. 


their  skins  have  a  l)Ouiitifiilly  soft  feel,  as  of  finest  satin.  i8k8. 
These  eontine  themselves  soh'ly  to  the  hreedinu'  of  cattle,  ^\ 
and  are  inil>ue(l  with  a  snj)erci!ioiis  contempt  for  the 
hoemen,  the  Bavira,  who  are  strictly  agricultural.  No 
proud  dukelin^'  in  England  could  regard  a  pauper  with 
more  pronounceil  contempt  than  the  Wahuma  })rofess 
for  the   Bavira.     Tliev  will   live  in   the  countrv  of  the 


14. 


Bi 


ivu'a, 


but 


not   in   thi'ir    villaiics  ;   thev   will  exchange 


their  dairy  [)roduce  for  the  urain  and  ve^etahles  of  the 
hoemen,  hut  they  will  never  uive  their  dau,i>hters  in 
mari'iaue  but  to  a  Mhuma  horn.  Their  sons  mav  ijossess 
children  ])V  Bavira  women,  hut  that  is  the  utmost  con- 

this  1  discover  the  true  secret  of  the 


cession. 


N 


ovv  m 


varviuii,"    plivsioiiiiomies,   and    the    explanations    in   the 
variation  of  facial  ty[)es. 

We  have  the  true  ne^roidal  cast  of  features  in  che 
far-away  re<;ions  of  West  Africa,  with  which  this  pi'oud 
hi^h-caste  race  could  not  ])ossibly  come  in  contact  duriiiL!," 
many  centuries ;  we  have  tlie  yirimitive  races  of  the 
forest,  the  Akkas,  Wamhutti,  Waiwa,  and  Bushmen,  of 
which  the  AVamhutti  are  by  far  the  handsomest  ;  have 
the  Zulus,  the  Alafitte,  Watuta,  Wahha,  Warundi, 
Wanya-lvuanda,  semi-I']thio[)ic  ;  we  ha\-e  the  l^thio[)ic, 
slitihtly  (h'ui'aded,  exce[)t  in  tlie  aristoci'atic  families,  as 
in  the  Wahuma,  oi-,  as  they  are  vai-iously  calhMl.  Waima, 
Wachwezi.  Wawit^i,  and  the  Wataturu.  who  repre- 
sent two  human  streams,  one  cominii'  from  Ktiiio|)ia 
b\'  wav  of  South-lvist  ( Jalla  into  Inxoro  and  the  lii^h 
})astoral  lake  reuions.  and  the  other  tlowiiiLi  direct  south. 
The  \'ictoria  Lake  lies  betu^'en  these  sections  of  superioi' 
African  humanity. 

A  Bavira  chief  complained  to  me  of  the  hauuhty 
fontem[)t  with  which  the  Bavii'a  were  I'cLiai'ded  by  the 
Wahuma,  in  just  such  woi'ds  as  these:  ""  They  call  us 
hoi'inen,  and  iau_u,li  to  scorn  the  sobei-  regularity  with 
Inch  we,  tilling  the  dark  soil,  li\-e  through    oin'  lives 


w 


in  honest  labour.  Thev  sweep  round  on  jbrauinc' 
excursions,  and  know  no  IovimI  and  fixed  home  ;  they 
settle  down  wherever  the\'  are  tem[)ted  (by  pasture),  and 
when  there(is  trouble)  they  buihl  a  house  in  another  sp( 


It. 


iif 


VOL.    I. 


380 


7.V  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


1888. 
April  IG. 

Uzanza. 


M  ; 


But  to  my  narrative,  as  I  may  deal  witli  the  sul)ject 
further  in  a  special  chapter.  On  the  HJth,  furnished  by 
Mazamboni  with  twelve  ouides,  escorted  ))y  (iavira  and 
fifty  warriors,  accompanied  ])y  a  long  line  of  new  friends 
behind  the  rear  guard,  assisted  ])y  more  than  a  hundred 
carriers,  we  marched  to  the  territory  of  Oavira,  to  the 
vilhiii'e  where  we  had  rested  in  the  naked  hill-villaoe, 
after  a  terrible  day  of  excitement,  on  tlie  12tli  of 
December.  We  were  now  a  peaceful  processicm,  w^itli 
somewdiat  of  a  triumphal  character.  For  at  every 
village  we  appeared  the  warriors  came  out  and  hailed 
us  with  friendly  greetings,  and  at  Makukuru,  the  name 
of  the  village  which  we  already  knew,  the  women  lu-lu- 
lued.  Fr<mi  this  settlement  in  Uzanza  we  enjoyed  an 
extensive  view,  eml)racing  all  eastward  to  the  brow  of 
the  high  land  overlooking  the  gulf  of  the  Albert  Lake 
westward  as  far  as  Pisgah,  six  mandies  distant  north- 
ward to  the  cones  of  Bcmberri,  south Wtird  the  hills  of 
the  l^alegga  rose,  a  mile  off. 

The  Chief  of  the  J^avira  is  known  as  Gavira — an  he- 
reditary title,  though  his  name  is  iMpinga.  He  was  a 
pleasant  little  man,  but  stingy  ;  and  when  not  engaged 
in  State  councils,  talkative.  He  and  his  tribe  })egged 
for  friendship  similar  to  that  which  was  estal)lislied  with 
Mazamboni  ;  we  were  only  too  willing  to  accede — the 
conditions  being  that  he  should  be  hospitable  to  the 
Expedition  on  its  journeys  through  his  country.  Having 
halted  one  day  at  Alazamboni's,  it  was  necessary  that  we 
should  do  e(|ual  honour  to  (iavira  ;  and  as  this  place  was 
only  two  short  marches,  or  one  h)ng  march,  to  the 
Nyanza,  we  agreed. 

In  the  evening,  two  natives  arrived  fnmi  [\lbiassi,  of 
the  tribe  Ba-biassi,  chief  of  the  district  of  Kavalli,  which 
extended,  in  a  broad  strip,  down  to  the  Nyanza,  who  in- 
formed me  that  their  chief  possessed  a  small  packet, 
covered  witli  dark  cloth,  for  me,  which  had  been  given 
him  by  Mpigwn,  of  Nyanisassi,  who  had  received  it  from 
a  white  man  known  to  tluMn  as  MalLju. 

We  WHM'c  sui'roundcd  on  the  next  day  by  hundreds  of 
friendly  people,  who  seemed  unable   to  gaze  sutliciently 


fiifc*..' 


FRIENDSHIP    WITH   MPISGA. 


8.S7 


at  us.  They  therefore  phicidly  sc^uatted  on  their 
haunches,  quietly  conteniphiting  our  movements  ;  the 
younger  members  were  deputed  ))y  the  old  to  gather 
fuel  and  sweet  potatoes,  and  to  Itring  millet  grain  to 
camp.  For  trifling  gifts,  the  Zanziharis  o))tained  their 
most  devoted  service  for  huilding  their  huts,  and  carry- 
ing water  and  attending  to  their  tires,  grinding  their 
millet  grain  into  flour  ;  while  our  men  contentedly  sat 
down,  encotiraging  them  to  hard  hil)our  with  a  friendly 
nod  and  hland  smile,  scmie  l)it  of  iron-work,  a  pinch 
of  beads,  a  cowrie  or  two,  or  a  wristlet  of  brass  wire. 
Every  man  picked  up  a  warm-hearted,  and  ingenious 
brother  ;  and,  excepting  in  cooking,  the  natives  were 
admitted  into  the  privilege  of  fast  friendship. 

The  chief  (lavira  was  r(jbed,  in  the  afternoon,  in 
bright  scarlet  cloth  of  first-c^  .  (juality,  and  escorted 
around  the  camp,  with  all  honour,  by  our  headmen,  who 
introduced  him  to  the  various  messes  with  high  tribute 
to  his  good  disposition.  He  was  afterwards  shown  a 
mirror,  at  which  he  and  his  elders  expressed  extra- 
ordinary astonishment  and  fright.  They  took  the 
reflection  of  their  own  faces  to  be  a  hostile  tribe  ad- 
vancing from  the  earth  towards  them,  and  started  to 
run  to  a  safer  distance  ;  but  instinctively  they  halted,  as 
they  saw  that  we  did  not  stir.  They  then  returned  on 
tip-toe,  as  if  to  ask  what  that  sudden  vision  of  black 
faces  could  possibly  have  been  ;  for  the  mirror  had 
been  dropped  on  its  face  into  the  case.  In  answer 
to  their  mute  appeal,  it  was  opened  again,  and  they 
gazed  at  it  fixedly.  They  whispered  to  one  another — 
"  Whv,  the  faces  resemble  our  own  I  "  Thev  were  told 
that  what  they  saw  was  a  reflection  of  their  own  remark- 
ably prepossessing  features  ;  and  ^Ipinga,  with  pride, 
blushed  darkly  at  the  compliment.  Perceiving  that  he 
could  be  trusted  with  it  without  shock  to  his  nerves,  it 
was  put  into  his  hand  ;  and  it  was  amusing  to  see  how 
ipiickly  pers«»nal  vanity  increased  ;  his  elders  crowded 
around  him.  and  all  grouped  around  and  were  })leascd  to 
note  how  truthfully  the  mirror  reflected  each  facial 
L'haracteristic.      "  See  thai  scar — it   is   just   and  exact  ; 


1888. 
April  17. 

UzaDza. 


i  ;i 


it 


11 


Ai-ril  18 


jzuuza. 


888 


IX   DARK  EST  AFItK'A. 


I'^xr^.      l)Ut    lo  I  look  at  your  hroad   nose,    M[)iiiLia;   wliy,  i*"   is 
pei'tV'ft  !      Ay,  ami  look  at  that  l>i,u'  feather  ;  it  actuallv 


waves 


It 


is    too     too    woiidei't'iil  !      What   can    it   li 


made  of:*  it  is  like  water  ;  hut  it  is  not  soft  l»y  any 
means  ;  and  on  the  hack  it  is  black.  Ah,  hut  we  ha\e 
seen  a  thin,n'  to-day  that  our  fathers  "never  saw,  eh  :"  " 

U/anza  exposed,  and  open  to  every  hlast  from  each 
(|uarter  of  heaven,  will  he  I'eniemhei'ecl  for  a  lon,u'  time. 
As  the  sun  set,  the  cold  winds  ])lew  from  lakeward,  an<l 
smote  us  sorely  :  we  were  so  accustomed  to  the  e([uahle 
temperature  of  the  forest,  and  so  poor  in  clothing'.  One 
officer  armed  himself  with  his  waterproof ;  another  put 
on  his  ulster  ;  and  still  the  wind  penetrated  to  the 
marrow  ;  and  there  was  no  warmth  hut  in  the  snuj"' hee- 
hive  huts  of  the  Bavira — whither  we  retired. 

Instead  of  pursuinu'  along  our  first  course  to  the  Lake, 
we  struck  north-east  to  the  villaiie  of  Kavalli,  where  the 
mysterious  packet  was  said  to  he.  The  grass  was  short 
cro[)ped  hy  numerous  herds  of  cattle,  and  covered  every 
inch  and  made  it  resemhle  a  lawn,  save  where  the  land 
dipped  down  into  the  miniature  canons,  whieli  had  heen 
scooped  out  hy  centuries  of  rain. 


A 


s  we 


traversed  the  smilinu'  land,  hailed,  and  oreeted, 


and  welcomed,  hv  the  kindly  Bavira,  we  could  not  forhear 
thinking  how  different  all  this  was  from  the  days  when 
we  drove  through  noisy  hattalions  of  l^avira,  liahiassi, 
and  Balegga,  each  urging  his  neighhours.  and  whooping 
and  hallooing  every  one  to  our  extermination,  with  the 
(piick  play  of  light  on  crowds  of  flashing  spears,  and 
yard-long  arrows  sailing  through  the  air  to  meet  us  ;  and 
now  we  had  157  Bavira  actually  in  front  of  the  advance 
guard,  as  many  heliind  the  rear  guard,  while  our  *.)() 
loads  had  heen  distrihuted  amonu' voluntarv  cari'iei's  who 
thought  it  an  honour  to  he  porters  to  the  same  men  whom 
they  had  hounde<l  so  mercilessly  a  few  months  pi'evious. 
Soon  after  the  arrival  of  the  now  numerous  column 
hefore  the  thorny  zeriha  of  Kavalli,  the  chief,  a  hand- 
S(mie  young  Mliuma,  with  I'egular  features,  tall,  slender, 
and  wondi'rfully  composed  in  manner,  appeared,  to  show 


us  wliere  we  miu 


ht 


cami 


A) 


nicl 


as  chose  to  avail 


11^. 


II'A'  L'EACir  K AVAIL  I. 


8.S<) 


Ifi4l 


tlionisclvcs  of  slu'ltor  in  his  villauv  ho  ar-corded  froe  por-     r^sd. 
mission  ;  ami  on  l)C'in_n'  askod  tor  the  ])acket  of  }f(illijii,  '^'"''  \^' 
ho   prodncocl  it  ;  and,  as   ho   hancK^d    it   to  mo.  said  tliat 
onlv  his  two   vounsj'  men,  of  all  the  ('(nmti'v,  know  that 
ho  possessed  it;  anil  anxiously  asked  if  ho  had  not  done 
an  oxcoUent  liiinn'  in  koopin^,'  the  socrot  safe. 


c^^'-'-^^^ 


KAVAI.I.I.    (  llli;i'    (IF    Tin:    ll.\-l!IASSI. 

Tntvino-  the  cover,  which  was  of  Aniorioan  oil-ch>th.  I 
found  the  followini>-  letter  : — 

1)i;ar  Sii{,  — 

Uuniours  luiviii^-  bcoii  afloat  of  wliito  iiU'ii  liaviiitj;  made  tlioir 
apparition  soincwlicro  soutli  of  tliis  Lake,  I  have  ronic  \w\v  in  finest  of 
news.     A  start  to  the  fnrtliest  end  of  tlie  Lake,  wliieli  1  eouM  reach  by 


•'';||.: 


m  m 


m  '] 


1888, 
Aia-il  18. 

Kavalli's, 


il.r: 


WIrili  ! 


liii 


illiilt 


390 


7.V  DA  UK  EST  AFBICA. 


st(>aincr,  lias  Ix'cn  wUliont  success,  tlie  )ieo])lo  being  greatly  afraid  of 
Ka1)l)a  Rcpa  |ioo))lo,  and  tlieir  eliiefs  being  under  instructions  to  conceal 
wliatover  they  know. 

To-day,  however,  has  arrived  a  man  from  Chief  Mpigwa,  of  Nyamsassi 
coiuitry,  who  tells  me  that  a  wife  of  the  said  chief  has  seen  you  at 
Undussuma,  her  birthplace,  and  that  his  chief  volunteers  to  send  a  letter 
of  mine  to  y<m.  I  seiid,  therefore,  one  of  our  allies,  Chief  Mogo,  with  the 
messenger  to  Chief  Mpigwa's,  re(iuosting  him  to  send  ^[ogo  and  this 
letter,  as  well  as  an  Ara\)ie  one,  to  you,  or  to  retain  Mogo  and  send  the 
letter  .ahead. 

lie  jdeased,  if  this  reaches  you,  to  rest  where  yon  are,  and  to  inform  me 
by  letter,  or  one  of  your  luiojile,  of  your  wishes.  I  could  easily  come  to 
Chief  Mj>igwa,  and  my  steamer  and  boats  woidd  bring  you  here.  At  the 
arrival  of  your  letter  or  man,  I  shall  at  once  start  for  Nyamsassi,  and 
from  there  we  could  concert  our  further  designs. 

Beware  of  Kabba  Eega's  men !     He  has  expelled  Captain  Casati. 

Bjlieve  me,  dear  Sir,  to  bo 

Yours  very  faithfully, 
(Signed)        Dr.  Emin. 


Tungurn  (Lake  Albert).* 
25/8/b8.    8  P.M. 


The  letter  was  translated  to  our  men,  upon  liearing 
which,  they  became  mad  with  enthusiasm;  nor  were  the 
natives  of  Kavalli  less  aft'ected,  though  not  with  such 
boisterous  joy,  for  they  perceived  that  the  packet 
they  had  guarded  with  such  jealous  care  was  the  cause 
of  this  happiness. 

Food  poured  in  gratuitously  from  many  chiefs,  and  1 
directed  Mbiassi  to  inform  the  districts  around  that  rt 
contribution  fi'om  each  tri])e  or  section  would  be  gladly 
received, 

On  the  20th,  I  despatched  Mr.  Jephson  and  Surgeon 
Parke,  with  50  rifles  and  two  native  guides  of  Kavalli, 
to  convey  the  steel  boat,  Advance,  down  to  Lake  Albert. 
I  am  informed  bv  the  ouides  that  Mswa  station  was 
distant  two  days  only,  l>y  boat  sailing  along  the  western 
shore.  Mr.  Jephson  was  entrusted  with  the  following 
letter  to  Emin  Pasha  : — 

*  When,  after  reaching  Zanzibar,  I  read  Emin  Pasha's  letter  to  the 
Editor  of  Petermann's  '  Mitteilungen '  (see  No.  4  of  the  '  Gotha  Geog. 
Journal '),  dated  25th  March,  188S  (the  same  date  that  the  above  letter 
v.-as  written),  which  concluded  with  the  significant  words :  *'  If  Stanley 
does  not  come  soon,  we  are  lost,"  most  curious  thoughts  came  into  my 
mind  which  the  intelligent  reader  will  find  no  difficulty  in  guessing 
Hap])ily,  however,  the  Pasha  kept  his  own  secret  until  1  was  far  away 
from  Bagamoyo,  and  I  was  unable  to  inquire  from  him  personally  what 
were  his  motives  for  not  coming  to  Kavalli,  December  14th,  1887,  the 
date  he  expected  us;  for  remaining  sih  nt  two  months  and  a  half  in  his 
own  stations  after  that  date,  and  then  writing  two  such  letters  as  the 
one  above  and  that  to  Petermann's  Magazine  on  the  same  date. 


LETTER    TO   EMIN  FASIIA. 


3J»l 


|ii 


I      F '  M 


Ai>ril  18//-,  1888. 


into  my  luiiids  l>y  Chief  Ml)iiissi,  of  Kavalli 
before  yesterday,  and  it  gave   us  ail  great 


I)E\R  Sir,— 

Your  letter  was  put 
(on  the  ])lateau),  tiie  (hiy 
jiieasure. 

I  sent  a  long  letter  to  you  from  Zanzibar  by  carriers  to  Upanda, 
informing  you  of  my  mission  and  of  my  itur])ose.  Lest  you  may  not 
liave  received  it,  I  will  recapitulate  in  brief  its  ])rincii»al  contents.  It 
informed  you  first  that,  in  conii)liance  with  instructions  from  the  l{elief 
Committee  of  London,  I  was  leading  an  Expedition  for  your  relief.  Half 
of  the  fund  necessary  was  subscribed  by  the  Egyptian  Govermnent,  the 
other  half  by  a  few  English  friends  of  yours. 

It  also  informed  you  that  the  instructions  of  the  Egyptian  Government 
were  to  guide  you  out  of  Africa  if  you  were  willing  to  leave  Africa;  if 
not,  then  I  was  to  leave  such  anununition  as  we  had  brought  with  us  for 
you,  and  you  and  your  people  were  then  to  consider  yourselves  as  out  of 
the  service  of  Egypt,  and  your  pay  was  to  cease  upon  such  notitication 
being  given  by  you.  If  you  were  willing  to  leave  Africa,  then  the  pay  of 
yourself,  officers  and  men,  was  to  continue  until  you  had  landed  in  Egyj)t. 

It  further  informed  you  that  you  yourself  was  promoted  from  liey  to 
Pasha. 

It  also  informed  you  that  I  i)ropo.sed,  on  account  of  the  hostility  of 
Uganda,  and  political  reasons,  to  approach  you  by  way  of  the  Congo,  and 
make  Kavalli  my  objective  point. 

I  presume  you  have  not  received  that  letter,  from  the  total  ignorance 
of  the  natives  at  Kavalli  about  you,  as  they  only  knew  of  Mason'.s  visit, 
which  took  place  ten  years  ago. 

We  first  arrivetl  here  after  some  desperate  fighting  on  the  14th  Decem- 
ber last.  We  stayed  two  days  on  the  shore  of  the  Lake  near  Kavalli, 
iii(|uiring  of  every  native  that  we  could  approach  if  they  knew  of  you,  ancl 
weie  always  answered  in  the  negative.  As  we  had  left  our  boat  a  moiuh's 
march  behind,  we  could  get  no  canoe  by  fair  ])urcliase  or  force,  we  rcsol  ved 
to  return,  obtain  our  boat,  and  carry  it  to  the  Nyanza.  This  we  have 
done,  and  in  the  meantime  we  constructed  a  little  fort  fifteen  days' march 
from  here,  and  stored  such  goods  as  we  could  not  carry,  and  marched 
here  with  our  boat  for  a  second  trial  to  relieve  you.  This  time  the  most 
violent  natives  have  received  us  witii  oj)en  arms,  and  escorted  us  by 
hundreds  on  the  way.  The  country  is  now  ojien  for  a  peaceful  march 
from  Nyamsassi  to  our  fort. 

Now  I  await  your  decision  at  Nyamsassi.  As  it  is  diifieult  to  s^ijiply 
rations  to  our  peoj)le  on  the  Nyanza  ])lain,  I  hope  we  shall  not  have  to 
wait  long  for  it.  On  the  plateau  above  there  is  abundance  of  foo  I  and 
cattle,  but  on  the  lower  plain,  bordering  the  Nyanza,  the  people  are 
mainly  fishermen. 

If  this  letter  reaches  you  before  you  leave  your  place,  I  should  advise 
you  to  bring  in  your  steamer  and  boats,  rations  sufficient  to  subsist  us 
while  we  await  your  removal,  say  about  12,000  or  15,000  lbs.  of  grain, 
millet,  or  Indian  corn,  &c.,  which,  if  your  steamer  is  of  any  cai^acity,  you 
can  easily  bring. 

If  you  are  already  resolved  on  leaving  Africa,  I  would  suggest  that 
you  .should  bring  with  you  all  your  cattle,  and  every  native  willing  to 
follow  you.  Nubar  Pasha  hojjcd  you  would  bring  all  your  JMakkai'aka, 
and  leave  not  one  behind  if  you  could  help  it,  as  he  would  retain  them 
all  in  the  service. 

The  letters  from  the  Ministry  of  War,  and  from  Nubar  Pasha,  which 
I  bring,  will  inform  you  fully  of  the  intention  of  the  Egyi)tian  Govern- 
ment, and  perhaps  you  had  better  wait  to  see  them  before  taking  any 


1888. 
April  18. 

Kiivalli's. 


•>v  K" 


au2 


IN  DARKEST  API!  If  A. 


Aj.ril  18. 
Kavalli's. 


lil  i! 


action.  I  siinidy  lot  yon  know  britfly  altont  the  intontions  of  tlie 
(lovcniiiunt,  tliiit  you  may  tuni  the  matter  over  in  your  mind,  aud  Ite 
enal)lo(l  to  come  to  a  decision. 

I  hear  you  iiaw  abundance  of  rattle  with  you;  throe  or  four  milk 
cow.s  would  bo  very  grateful  to  us  if  you  can  brinj;  them  in  your  steamer 
and  boats. 

I  have  a  number  of  letters,  some  books  and  ma])s  for  you,  and  a 
packet  for  Ca|)tain  Casati.  1  fear  to  send  them  by  my  boat,  lest  you 
should  start  from  your  jilaco  uiion  some  native  rumour  of  our  having 
arrived  here,  and  you  should  miss  her.  Besides,  I  am  not  quite  sure 
that  the  Iioat  will  reach  you;  I  therefore  keep  them  until  I  am  assured 
they  can  be  placed  in  your  hands  safely. 

We  shall  have  to  forafio  far  and  near  for  food  while  we  await  your 
attendance  at  Nyamsassi,  but  you  may  depend  ujion  it  we  shall  enileavour 
to  stay  hero  until  we  see  you. 

All  with  mo  join  in  sending  you  our  best  wishes,  and  are  thankful  that 
you  are  safe  and  well. 

Believe  me,  dear  Pasha, 

Your  most  obedient  servant, 
Henuy  M.  Stan  lev. 
Commanding  Belief  Expedition 
His  Exoollency  Emin  Pasha. 
Governor  of  Equatorial  Provinces,  &c.,  &c.,  &c. 

Durino-  our  halt  at  Kavalli  several  Imiidred  natives 
from   the  district.s  round  about  paid  us  friendly  visits, 

and  the  chiefs  and  elders 
tendered  their  submission  to 
me.  They  said  the  country 
was  mine,  and  whatever  ni\' 
commands  miulit  he,  would 
l»e  promptly  done.  By  the 
ready  way  food  was  hrouoht 
in,  there  was  no  reason  to 
douht  their  sinceritv,  tliouoh 
as  yet  there  was  no  necessity 
to  take  it  too  literally.  80 
loni"'  as  we  were  not  starvinu', 
nothino'  could  happen  to 
disturb  the  peaceful  rela- 
tions commenced  with  ]Ma- 
zamboni.  A'-cording  to  my 
means  each  chief  received  a 
present  of  cloth,  beads,  cow- 

nished    me    with    a    cj^uart   of 
milk  daily  in  a  wooden  bowl  of  this  jjattern. 


ClIAJTER  XV. 


lankful  tliat 


THE    MEETING    WITH    EMIX    PASHA. 

Our  camp  at  Bundi  —  Mbiassi,  the  oliief  of  Kavalli  —  The  Balcppa 
pranarit's  — Chiefs  Katonza  and  Korrmbi  express  eontritiou — The 
kites  at  Hadzwa — A  note  from  Je])lison — Eniin,  Casati  and  Je]thsoii 
walk  into  our  camp  at  old  Kavalli  -Descriptions  of  Einin  Pasha 
and  Cajitain  Casati — Tlie  Pasha's  Soudanese— < )ur  Zanziliaris — The 
steamer  7\7/fv//V>' — Raker  and  the  Blue  ]Monntaiiis — I  )rs.  Junker  and 
Felkin's  descriptions  of  Eniin — Proximity  of  Kalilia  Bcjiu— Eniiii  and 
the  Equatorial  Provinces— Dr.  .Junker's  report  of  Emin  —I  discuss 
with  Emin  our  future  proceeding's— Captain  Casati's  ])lans  Our 
camp  and  provisions  at  Nsalx- — Kahlta  BcLia's  treatment  of  Ci>])tain 
Casati  and  IMohaunned  Biri — ]\Ial)ruki  gored  l»y  a  butt'alo — Emin 
Pasha  and  his  soldiers— My  ])ro])ositions  to  Emin  and  his  answer — 
Emin's  position  —  Mahonnnet  Achmet  —  The  Congo  State  —  The 
Foreign  Office  despatclies. 

Ox  the  25tli  we  departed  from  Kavalli  and  camped  at 
Bundi,  at  an  altitude  of  4,900  feet  aliove  the  sea.  The 
village  proper  was  situated  400  feet  higher,  on  the  crest 
of  one  of  those  ranges  of  hills  which  form  the  dividinu- 
line  between  the  Conoo  hasin  and  that  of  the  Nile. 
From  its  folds  westerly  escaped  the  first  infant  streams 
which  flowed  into  East  Ituri.  f)n  the  othei'  side  of  the 
narrow  rocky  spine  issued  streams  which  dropped  into 
the  gulf  of  the  Albert.  Our  camp  was  situated  on  the 
very  Imjw  of  the  plateau,  in  full  view  of  a  large  portion 
of  the  south  end  of  the  Albert. 

jMbiassi,  the  hands(mie  <'hief  of  Kavalli.  accompanied 
us  to  do  the  honours  of  his  ti'ibe  to  his  guests.  He 
commanded  the  people  of  J^undi  to  hurry  forward  an 
ample  contribution  to  the  camp,  and  also  despatched 
messengers  to  the  redoubtable  Komubi.  chief  of  the 
Eastern  BalejxSfa,  vrho  seemed  t(j  be  considered  bv  these 
stubborn  foes  of  Kabba  Rega  as  their  "Only  (General," 


It 


1888. 

April  2a 
Bunai. 


aj>4 


y.V  DARKEST  AFltlCA. 


18ftS. 
April  'J'> 

liuDdi. 


with  a  incssime  not  to  la^'  lu'liind  in  supplyiiio-  witli 
food  a  man.  who  mi<^ht  be  iiidiiccd  to  lend  liis  aid  in 
puiiisiniio'  Kahlta  Ho^a  some  (hiy.  .Mhiassi,  commonly 
callcMl  Kavalli  l>y  ins  pt'opjc.  aftci-  liis  district,  was  a 
diplomat. 

(hi  the  'JOth  we  descended  the  phiteau  slope  once 
more  in  '1  hours  45  minutes  and  at  the  foot  of  it  we 
were  ([uartered  in  the  Bale«i<ia  village  of  Badzwa,  li,;{00 
feet  l»elow  Bundi  camp.  The  Baleo^ia  had  decamped, 
but  as  it  was  Kavalli's  pro})erty,  he  assumed  charge,  and 
distributed  corn  from  its  (granaries,  accordin^^'  to  the 
needs  of  our  united  foUowers,  sufficient  for  tive  chiys' 
rations. 

^Messen^ers  from  lvat(mza,  the  chief  who  liad  declined 
our  friendship  on  Decendjer  14th.  who  had  refused  our 
proffered  ^ifts,  who  had  sent  his  men  to  throw  arrows 
into  our  bivouac  of  the  Kith,  and  murdered  our  two 
sick  men,  came  to  say  that  he  was  '"  dyinu- "  to  see  me. 
He  had  now  heard  that  Mazand>oni,  (iavira,  Kavalli, 
and  manv  others  were  hand-and-<4love  with  the  strangers 
who  had  humbly  begged  a  drink  of  water  from  his 
people,  and  he  had  hastened  to  make  reparation,  like 
Shiniei  the  Benjamite.  Before  I  could  frame  an  answer, 
stalwart  Komubi,  the  "only  general."  had  descended 
from  the  Balegga  Hills  with  a  white  cow,  several  goats, 
and  bundles  of  sweet  potatoes,  besides  many  jars  of 
potent  beer.  It  was  Komubi  and  his  stubborn  fellows 
who  had  clung  to  the  rear  guard  on  the  l-'Uh  December 
with  such  persistency,  and  had  attempted  a  night 
attack.  lie  now  frankly  came  to  express  contrition  and 
sorrow  that  he  had  mistaken  us  for  Kab})a  Rega's 
bandits,  and  to  surrender  his  country  wholly  into  my 
liands,  and  his  life,  if  I  so  wished  it.  With  this  bold 
chieftain  we  made  friends  (]uickly  enough,  and  after  a 
lengthy  interview  parted.  To  Katonza  we  replied  that 
we  would  think  of  his  message. 

I  now  turn  to  the  diarv  form. 

Amjast  '17th. — Halt  at  Badzwa.  The  kites  are  very 
bold  in  this  neighlxmrhood.  Seeing  their  daring,  we 
amused  ourselves  with  putting  pieces  of  meat  on  the 


NOTE   liKi'ElVED   t'liOM  JKl'/lsoX. 


JiM') 


\m 


roof  of  a  hut  within  arm's  length  of  a  iiiaii  standing  l>y,     i8sh. 
und  each  tinit'  the  kite  siicceech'd  in  escHy)inf^  with  tlie  -^f'' -'"• 
meat,  as  the  )>ird,  sailinu  and  wheelin^^  round  tlie  spot, 
seemed   to   know  when   tlie   attention   was    rehixed,  a"d 
that  moment  droppetl  plump  U[)on   the  meat.  an«l  sa 
away  with  it  fast  ^nipped  before  the  outstretched  lu. 
could  seize  him. 

Our  hunter,  "  Tiiree  o'clock."  went  out,  and  returne<l 
with  the  meat  of  a  tine  kudu  he  hatl  shot. 

A/'t'il  '2Hf/i. — Halt.  Wadi  Mahruki,  another  hunter, 
went  out  this  mornin<i;  to  compete  at  game-huntin*^  with 
"  Three  o'clock,"  and  in  the  afternoon  he  and  his  followers 
l>rou<i;ht  throe  young  roan  antelope. 

April  2dt/t. — At  8  A.M.,  as  we  were  about  to  hreak 
camp  to  march  to  the  Lake,  a  native  guide  appeared  witli 
a  note  fnmi  Jephson,  (hited  April  li.Mrd,  which  stated 
that  he  had  safely  reached  Mswa,  a  station  of  Emin 
Pasha's,  and  that  messengers  had  been  despatched  by 
the  C'(miman(hint,  Shukri  Agha,  to  apprise  Emin  Pasha 
of  our  appearance  cm  the  lake.  A  ])asket  of  onions — u 
gift  from  Shukri  Agha — accompanied  the  note. 

At  9  A.M.  we  set  out  for  the  liake.  Two  hours  later 
we  were  camped  about  a  (juarter  of  a  mile  from  the 
shore,  not  far  from  the  liivouac  ground  occuj)ied  by  us 
on  the  IGth  December,  and  on  the  site  of  old  Kavalli,  as 
the  chief  showed  us.  We  had  five  days'  rations  of  grain 
with  us,  and  meat  could  be  procured  from  the  plain 
behind  us,  as  it  swarmed  with  large  game  of  various 
kinds. 

Prom  my  tent-door,  at  4.30  p.m.,  I  saw  a  dark  olgect 
loom  up  on  the  north-east  horiz(mof  the  lake.  1  thought 
it  might  be  a  native  canoe,  or  perhaps  the  steel  boat 
Advance  returnini;,  but  a  binocular  revealed  the  dimen- 
sions  of  a  vessel  much  larger  than  a  boat  or  canoe  could 
possibly  be,  and  presently  a  dark  puti' of  smoke  issuing 
from  it  declared  her  to  be  a  steamer.  An  hour  later  we 
could  distinguish  a  couple  of  l)()ats  in  tow,  and  at 
0.30  r.M.  the  steamer  dropped  anchor  in  the  baylet  of 
Nyamsassi,  in  shore  of  the  island  of  that  name.  Scores 
of  our  people  were  on  the  beach  in  front  of  our  camp 


\\ 


i    .M 


898 


7.V    VAItKF.sT  A  Fine  A. 


1888. 
A)!    1  2ii. 

Alb.'i't 
Nvauza. 


iii 


'I  f 


firin.L''  .U'uiis.  and  \v,ivinL>'  signals,  hut  tliouoli  we  were 
only  two  miles  from  the  island,  no  one  appeared  to 
observe  us. 

Ardent  messengers  were  tlierefore  sent  alono-  the  shore 
to  inform  the  party  on  board  of  our  presence,  and  these 
were,  unhappily,  so  exuberant,  that  as  they  fired  theii' 
I'iHes  to  u'ive  notice,  thev  were  fired  at  in  return  1)Y  the 
Soudanese,  who  naturally  enough  took  the  wild  figures 
for  Kal)ba  Rega's  people.  However,  no  harm  was  done  ; 
the  boat's  crew  distinguished  their  comrades'  cries,  the 
word  was  passed  that  the  people  on  shore  were  friends, 
and  the  boat  was  made  readv  to  convev  our  visitors  to 
the  beach  near  the  camp.  At  eight  o'clock,  amid  great 
rejoicing,  and  after  repeated  salutes  fnmi  rifles,  Emin 
Pasha  himself  walked  into  camp,  accompanied  by  Captain 
Casati  and  Mr.  .lephsim,  and  one  of  the  Pasha's  officers. 
I  shook  hands  with  all,  and  asked  which  was  Emin 
Pasha  i  Then  one  rather  small,  slight  figure,  wearing 
glasses,  arrested  my  attention  by  saying  in  excellent 
English,  "  1  owe  you  a  thousand  thanks,  Mr.  Stanley  ;  1 
really  do  not  know  how  to  express  mv  thanks  to  you." 

"Ah,  you  are  Emin  Pasha.  Do  not  mention  thanks, 
])ut  come  in  and  sit  down.  It  is  so  dark  out  here  we 
cannot  see  one  another." 

At  the  door  of  the  tent  we  sat,  and  a  wax  candle  thi'ew 
light  upon  the  scene.  I  expected  to  see  a  tall  thin  mili- 
tary-looking figure,  in  faded  Egyptian  uniform,  ])ut  in- 
stead of  it  1  saw  a  small  spare  figure  in  a  well-kept  fez 
and  a  clean  suit  of  snowy  cotton  drilling,  well-ironed  and 
of  perfect  fit.  A  dark  grizzled  ])eard  bordered  a  face  of  a 
Magyar  cast,  though  a  pair  of  spectacles  lent  it  some- 
what an  Italian  or  S|)anisli  appearance.  There  was  not  a 
trace  on  it  of  ill-health  or  anxiety  ;  it  rather  indicated 
good  condition  of  body  and  peace  of  mind.  Captain 
Casati,  on  the  other  hand,  though  younger  in  years, 
looked  gaunt,  care-worn,  anxious,  and  aged.  He  like- 
wise was  tlressed  in  clean  cottons,  with  an  Egyptian  fez 
fur  a  head-covering. 

Brief  summaries  of  our  incidents  of  travel,  events  in 
Europe,   occuii.ences  in   the  E(piatorial    Provinces,  and 


we  wei'e 
)cai'e(l  to 

the  shore 
111(1  these 
red  their 
11  l)y  the 
1  figures 
as  (hnie  ; 
i-ries,  the 
}  friends, 
isitors  to 
iiid  i»reat 
?s,  Em  ill 

Captain 
i  otHcei's, 
IS   Em  in 

wearino- 
oxeellent 
aiilev  ;  1 
[)  you." 
1  thanks, 

here  we 

le  threw 
liii  mili- 
l)ut  in- 
kept  fez 
lied  and 
face  of  a 
it  some- 
as  not  a 
ndicated 
Captain 
1   years, 
Ic   like- 
)tian  fez 

vents  in 
.'es,  and 


K 


'^r 


11  u 


III 


EMI}il   AND    CAPT.    CAS  ATI  ARIilVE  AT  UUlt    CAMR     r.9i) 


I'N- 


anza. 


matters  personal,  occupied  the  ])est  part  of  two  hours,     \hha. 
after  which,  to  terminate  the  happy  meetino',  five  half-  "^'"'^  -^ 
pint  bottles  of  champagne — a  present  from  my  friend   ^^^^^^^ 
Greshoff,  of  Stanley  Pool — were  uncorked  and  dulv  drank 
to  the  continued  good  healths  of  Emin  Pasha  and  Cap- 
tain Casati.* 

The  party  were  conducted  to  the  boat,  which  conveyed 
them  to  the  steamer. 

April  30th. — Marched  Expedition  to  Nsabc,  a  fine  dry 
grassy  spot,  fifty  yards  from  Lake  and  a])out  three  miles 
from  Nyamsassi  Island.  As  we  passed  the  anchorage  of 
the  steamer  Khedive,  we  found  a  detachment  of  the 
Pasha's  Soudanese  drawn  up  on  the  Lake  shore  on  parade 
to  salute  us  with  music.  The  Pasha  was  di-essed  in  his 
uniform  coat,  and  appeared  more  of  a  military  man  than 
last  night. 

Our  Zanzibaris,  by  the  side  of  these  upright  figures, 
seemed  altogether  a  l)eggarly  troop,  and  more  naked 
than  ever.  But  I  was  not  ashamed  of  them.  It  was  l)y 
their  aid,  mean  as  they  appeared,  that  we  had  triumphed 
over  countless  difficulties,  and  though  they  did  not 
understand  drill,  nor  could  assume  a  martial  pose,  the 
best  of  these  Soudanese  soldiers  were  but  children  U) 
them  for  the  needs  of  a  Relief  Expedition.  After  this 
little  ceremonv  was  over  I  delivered  to  the  Pasha  thirtv- 
one  cases  of  Remington  ammunition,  and  I  went  al)oard 
the  steamer,  where  I  ))reakfasted  on  millet  cake  fried  in 
syiup,  and  a  glass  of  new  milk. 

The  steamer  proved  to  be  the  Khedive,  built  by 
Samuda  Brothers  in  1869,  and  is  about  ninety  feet  h)ng 
by  seventeen  or  eighteen  feet  wide  ;  draught  five  feet. 
ThouGrh  nearlv  twentv  vears  old,  she  is  still  serviceable, 
though  sh)w.  The  upper  works  look  well  enough,  Init 
she  is  much  patched  l)elow  v»-aier,  I  am  told. 

On  board,  besides  the  Pasha,  wei'e  (  asati.  \'ita  Hassan, 
a  Tunisian  apothecary,  some  Egyptian  clerks,  an  Egyp- 

*  The  followiiif:?  oiitrios  must  Ix^  rend  while  boariii}!  in  mind  tliat 
tliirty-fivo  days  previously  the  Pasliii  Imd  written  to  the  Editor  of  Peter- 
niann's  '  Mitteilungeu'  a  letter,  whieli  he  concluded  with  the  siguiticaut 
words,  "  //'  Stanhy  does  not  come  soon,  we  are  lost." 


■'\ 


[ft  1 1 


4(10 


AV   DAUKKST  AFRICA. 


lit 


'        n 


,l^ 


i-'ss.  tiau  licurt'iianr.  and  some  forty  SouJaiR'sc  soldiers,  lie- 
Aimi.iu.  ^\^\^^  .^  i^j,,^.  crew.  Sonietiiiies,  IVom  the  familial'  sounds 
^viiiuL  l^'fii'd  duiin^'  moments  of  abstraction,  I  fancied  myself  at 
Alexandria  or  on  tlie  liower  ("onuo  ;  1  tut,  looking' up.  and 
taking'  a  sweepiui^'  view  around,  1  became  assured  that  I 
was  on  hoard  of  a  steamer  aHoat  on  Lake  Alhert.  As  we 
move  slowly  ahout.  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  shore 
northward,  the  lofty  mass  of  the  [)lateau  of  I  iiyoio  is  to 
our  right,  and  to  our  left  isan  eijually  f()rmi(hd»h'  plateau 
wall,  the  ascents  and  descents  of  which  we  know  so  well. 
By  u  glance  at  the  mass  of  Tnyoro,  which  is  (hirkly  hlue, 
1  see  the  reason  leaker  gave  the  name  of  Blue  Mountains 
to  our  plateau  wall,  for  were  we  steaming  along  the 
L'nyoro  shore  the  warm  va[)our  would  tint  our  plateau 
wall  of  similar  colour.  When  we  have  left  Nyamsassi 
Island  astern,  a  damp  sheet  of  ro<'k.  wetted  l>y  the  stream 
we  crossed  \'esterday  in  our  descent,  glistens  in  the  sun 
like  a  mirror,  and  makes  it  resemble  a  clear  falling  sheet 
of  water.  Hence  Baker  gave  it  the  name  of  a  Cascade, 
as  seen  by  him  from  the  eastern  side. 

Dr.  -luidvcr  and  Dr.  Felkin,  especially  in  the  Onf^Jiic 
numbers  of  January,  1887.  made  us  expect  a  nervous, 
wiry,  tall  man  of  six  IVet,  or  thereabouts,  but  in  reality 
Emin  Pasha  (h)es  not  exceed  5  feet  7  in  lies  in 
height.  I  remember  that  the  former  was  anxious 
that  the  ti'ousei's  ordei'cd  in  (/airo  for  his  friend  should 
be  long  eriough  in  tli(>  extremities.  About  six  inches 
were  cut  off  the  legs  before  they  fitted,  Ife  tells  me  he 
is  forty-eight  years  old.  In  a])[»earance  he  does  not 
indicate  such  an  age  :  his  beard  is  dark  almost  to  black- 
ness, while  his  activitv  would  befit  a  man  of  thirtv  or 
thirty-five. 

The  Pasha  tells  me  that  he  has  visited  Monbuttu,  luit, 
like  the  travellers  SchweinJiirth,  Casati,  J'iaggia,  and 
-lunkei'.  he  has  not  made  any  astronomical  observations, 
but  confined  himself  solely  to  the  compass  sui'vey.  The 
meteoi'ology  of  this  climate,  however,  has  received  greater 
attention,  as  might  be  expected  from  his  methodical 
haliitude  of  mind. 

About  noon  we  anchored  oUXsabe,  and  1  went  ashore 


A    LONG    CONVERSATIOX    WITH   EM  IN. 


401 


to  ])cstir  the  men  to  make  a  ivspeetable  camp  suitable 
for  a  protracted  halt  in  a  country  that  we  mi_uht  well 
call  dangerous  owing-  to  the  proximity  of  Kaliba  Rega. 
That  king,  having  thrown  down  the  gage  of  battle  to 
Emin  Pasha,  miu'lit  fancy  himself  strong  en()U«>h,  with 
his  1,500  rifles,  to  test  our  strength;  or  the  Waganda, 
duriuij;  their  raids,  miiiht  hear  of  our  vicinity  and  he 
tempted  by  expected  l>ooty  to  make  a  visit  to  us. 

This  evening  Emin  Pasha  came  ashore,  and  we  had  a 
lengthy  conversation,  but  after  all  I  am  unable  to 
gather  in  the  least  what  his  intentions  may  be.  I  have 
delivered  to  him  his  mails,  the  Khedive's  "  High  Order," 
and  Nubar  Pasha's  letter. 

I  had  an  idea  that  I  might  have  to  wait  about  two 
weeks,  when  we  would  all  march  to  the  plateau  and 
occupy  a  suitable  spot  in  Undusuma,  wJiere,  after  seeing 
everything  done  for  complete  security  and  comfort,  I 
could  leave  him  to  return  to  the  assistance  of  the  rear 
column.  On  being  re-united  we  could  resume  our 
march  within  a  few  days  for  Zanzibar  ;  but  the  Pasha's 
manner  is  ominous.  When  I  prop(jse  a  return  to  the 
sea  to  him,  he  has  the  habit  of  tapping  his  knee,  and 
smiling  in  a  kind  of  "  We  shall  see  '  manner.  It  is 
evident  he  finds  it  difficult  to  renounce  iiis  position  in  a 
country  where  he  has  performed  viceregal  functions. 

After  laying  before  him  at  some  length  the  reasons  of 
the  abandonment  of  the  E(|uatorial  Pi'ovinces  by  I'^gypt 
he  replied,  "  I  see  clearly  the  difficulty  Egypt  is  in  as 
regards  retention  of  these  piovinces,  but  1  do  not  see  so 
clearly  my  way  of  returning.  The  Khedive  has  wi'itten 
to  me  that  the  pay  of  myself,  officers  and  men  will  lie 
settled  by  the  Paymastei' (Jeneral  if  we  I'cturn  to  Egypt, 
but  if  we  stay  here  we  do  so  at  our  own  I'isk  and  on 
our  own  i-esponsibilitv,  and  that  we  <-annot  expect 
further  aid  from  Egypt.  Nubar  Pasha  has  written  to 
me  a  longer  lettei',  but  to  the  same  etfect.  Now,  1  do 
not  call  these  instructions.  They  do  not  tell  me  that  I 
nmst  <[uit,  but  thoy  leave  me  a  free  agent." 

"  Well,  1  will  supplement  these  letters  wuh  my 
own  positi\e  knowledge,  if  you  will  peimit  me,  as  the 

VOL.    I.  A  A 


1  mmH. 
Al.ril,  ;»0. 

Nsabe. 


M 


,     .at' 


!    :      i 


401 


IN  DAIiKESr  AFRICA. 


18ft8. 
April  30. 

Nsab^. 


i  ■ ' 


ii 


m  I 

Mll4 


lijiii 


iff 


Khedive  and  Nubar  Pasha  are  not  here  to  answer  for 
tliemselves.  Dr.  Junker  arrived  in  Egypt  telling  the 
world  that  you  were  in  great  distress  for  want  of 
ammunition,  hut  that  you  had  a  sufficient  (|uantity  to 
defend  your  position  for  a  year  or  perhaps  eighteen 
months,  providing  no  determined  attack  was  made  on 
you,  and  you  were  not  called  upon  to  make  a  prolonged 
resistance ;  that  you  had  defended  the  Equatorial  Pro- 
vinces so  far  successfully  ;  that  you  wouhl  c(mtinue  to 
do  so  to  the  utmost  of  your  a])ility,  until  you  shouhl 
receive  orders  from  your  Government  to  do  otherwise  ; 
that  you  hjved  the  country  and  people  greatly  ;  that  the 
country  was  in  a  prosperous  state — (|uiet  and  contented 
— possessed  of  almost  everything  required  to  maintain 
it  in  this  happy  condition  ;  that  you  would  not  like  to 
see  all  your  work  thrown  away,  hut  that  you  would 
much  prefer  that  Egypt  shouhl  retain  these  provinces, 
or  failing  Egypt,  s(mie  European  Power  a])le  and  willing 
to  ccmtinue  your  work.  Did  Dr.  Junker  report  you 
corrctly,  Pasha  ? " 

"  Yes,  he  did." 

"  Well,  then,  the  first  idea  that  occurred  to  the  minds 
of  the  Egyptian  officials  upon  hearing  Dr.  Junker's 
report  was,  that  no  matter  what  instructions  you 
received,  you  would  he  disinclined  to  leave  your  pro- 
vinces, therefore  the  Khedive  snys  that  if  you  remain 
here,  you  (h)  so  upon  your  own  responsibility,  and  at 
your  own  risk,  and  you  are  not  to  expect  further  aid 
from  Egypt. 

"  Our  instructions  are  to  carry  a  certain  quantity  of 
ammunition  to  you,  and  say  to  you,  up(m  your  obtaining 
it,  '  Now  we  are  ready  to  guide  and  assist  you  out  of 
Africa,  if  you  are  willing  to  accompany  as,  and  we  shall 
be  delighted  to  have  the  j)leasure  of  your  company  ;  but 
if  you  decline  going,  our  mission  is  ended.' 

"  Let  us  sup])()se  the  lattei',  that  you  prefer  remaining 
in  Africa.  AVell,  you  are  still  young,  only  forty-eight ; 
your  constitution  is  still  good.  Let  us  say  you  will 
feel  the  same  vigour  for  five,  ten,  even  fifteen  vears 
L>riger ,  but  the  infirmities  of  age  will  creep  on  you,  and 


OUR  FUrUliE  riiOCEEDINOS. 


4f)3 


your  strength  will  fade  away.  Then  you  will  begin  to 
look  (loubtingly  upon  the  future  prospect,  and  mayhap 
suddenly  resolve  to  retire  before  it  is  too  late.  Some 
route  will  be  chosen — the  Monlmttu  route,  for  instance 
— to  the  sea.  Say  that  you  reach  the  Congo,  and  are 
nearing  civilization  ;  how  will  you  maintain  your  people, 
for  food  must  then  be  bought  for  money  or  goods  ? 
And  supposing  you  reach  the  sea,  what  will  you  do 
then  ?  Who  will  assist  you  to  ccmvey  your  people  to 
their  homes  ?  You  rejected  Egypt's  help  when  it  was 
offered  to  you,  and,  to  (juote  the  words  of  the  Khedive, 
'  You  are  not  to  expect  further  aid  from  Egypt.' 

"  If  you  stay  here  during  life,  what  l)ec(mies  of  the  pro- 
vinces afterwards  ?  Your  men  will  fi^ht  amono-  them- 
selves  for  supremacy,  and  involve  all  in  one  common 
ruin.  These  are  grave  questions,  not  to  be  hastily 
answered.  If  your  provinces  were  situated  within 
reasonal)le  reach  of  the  sea,  whence  you  could  be  fur- 
nished with  means  to  maintain  your  position,  I  should 
])e  one  of  the  last  to  advise  you  to  accept  the  Khedive's 
otter,  and  should  l)e  most  active  in  assisting  you  with 
suggestions  as  to  the  means  of  maintenance  ;  but  here, 
surrounded  as  this  lake  is  l)y  powerful  kings  and  warlike 
peoples  (m  all  sides,  by  such  a  vast  forest  on  the  west, 
and  by  the  fanatic  followers  of  the  Mahdi  on  the  north, 
were  I  in  your  place,  1  would  not  hesitate  one  moment 
what  to  do." 

"  What  you  say  is  quite  true,"  replied  the  Pasha,  "  Imt 
we  have  such  a  large  number  of  women  and  children, 
probably  10,000  people  altogether  !  How  can  they  all 
be  brought  out  t)f  here  {  AVe  shall  want  a  great  many 
carriers." 

"  Carriers  fjr  what  ?  " 

"  For  the  women  and  children.  You  surely  would  not 
leave  them,  and  they  cannot  travel." 

"  The  women  must  walk  ;  for  such  children  as  cannot 
walk,  they  will  be  carried  on  donkeys,  of  which  you  say 
you  have  many.  Your  people  cannot  travel  far  during 
the  first  month,  but  little  l»y  little  they  will  get  ac^cus- 
tonied  to  it.      Our  women    on   my  second  expedition 


April  :50. 
Nsabe. 


M- 


W : 


Pi       <: 


I    ij 


m 


t:  \ 


■'      i 


i 


ii 


4 


n\ 


i 


I    ,1 


4()4 


IN  IfAliKE^T  AFlilCA. 


\Am  crossed  Africa  ;  vour  women,  after  a  little  while,  will  do 
Ar.rii30.  (^,iiteas  well."    ' 

"They  will  re(|uire  avast  amount  of  provisicms  foi- 
the  road." 

"  Well,  you  have  a  large  number  of  cattle,  some 
hundreds,  I  believe.  Those  will  furnish  beef.  The 
countries  through  which  we  pass  must  furnish  grain  a'.id 
veiretable  food.  And  when  we  come  to  countries  that 
will  accept  pay  for  food,  we  have  means  to  pay  for  it, 
and  at  JMsalala  we  have  another  stock  of  goods  ready  for 
the  journev  to  the  coast." 

"  Well,  Veil.  We  will  defer  further  talk  of  it  till 
to-morrow." 

Mai/  \st. — Halt  at  Nsabe'. 

About  11  A.M.  Eniin  Pasha  came  ashore,  and  upon 
beinfj  seated  we  resumed  in  a  short  time  our  conversa- 
tion  of  last  evening. 

"What  you  tohl  me  last  night,"  began  the  Pasha, 
"has  led  me  to  think  that  it  is  best  we  should  retire 
from  Africa.  The  Egyptians  are  very  willing  to  go  I 
know.  There  are  about  fifty  men  of  them  besides 
women  and  children.  Of  those  there  is  no  doubt,  and 
even  if  I  stayed  ii^re  I  should  be  glad  to  be  rid  of  them, 
because  they  undtrmine  my  authority,  and  nullify  all 
my  endeavours  for  ro^^-'^nt.  When  I  informed  them  that 
Khartoum  had  fallen  and  Gordon  Pasha  was  slain  they 
alwavs  told  the  Nubians  that  the  storv  was  c(mcocted 
by  me,  and  that  some  day  we  should  see  the  steamers 
ascend  the  river  for  their  relief.  But  of  the  Regulars, 
who  compose  two  l>attali(ms  I  am  extremely  doubtful. 
They  have  led  such  a  free  and  happy  life  here,  that  they 
would  demur  at  leaving  a  country  where  they  enjoy 
luxuries  such  as  they  cannot  hope  for  in  Egypt.  They 
are  married,  and  l)esides,  each  soldier  has  his  harem  ; 
most  of  the  Irre<»ulars  would  doubtless  retire  and  follow 
me.  Now  supposing  the  Regulars  refused  to  leave,  you 
can  imagine  my  position  would  be  adifHcult  one.  Would 
1  be  right  in  leaving  them  to  their  fate  ?  Would  it  not 
be  consionini''  them  all  to  ruin  ?  I  should  have  to  leave 
them  their  arms  and  ammunition,  and  on  my  retiring  all 


orii  FrrruK  PiiocEr.Dis'ds. 


405 


recognized  authority  and  discipline  would  be  at  an  end. 
There  would  presently  ris3  disputes  and  factions  wouhl 
be  formed.  The  more  ambitious  would  aspire  to  be 
chiefs  by  force,  and  from  rivalries  would  sjirino-  hate  and 
mutual  slaughter,  involving  all  in  one  connnon  fate." 

"  It  is  a  terrible  picture  you  have  drawn,  Pasha,"  1 
said.  "  Nevertheless,  bred  as  I  have  been  to  obey  orders, 
no  matter  what  may  happen  to  others,  the  line  of  your 
duty,  as  a  faithful  otticer  to  the  Khedive,  seems  to  me 
to  be  clear. 

"  All  you  have  to  do,  according  to  my  idea,  is  to  read 
the  Khedive's  letter  to  your  tr(K)ps,  and  ask  those  willing 
to  depart  with  you  to  stand  on  one  side,  and  those  pre- 
ferring to  remain  to  stand  on  the  other,  and  prepare  the 
first  for  immediate  <leparture,  while  to  the  latter  you  can 
leave  what  ammunition  and  guns  you  can  ..<pare.  If 
those  who  rciiiain  number  three-fourths  or  four-fifths 
of  your  force,  it  does  not  at  all  matter  to  any  one  what 
becomes  of  them,  for  it  is  their  own  choice,  nor  does  it 
absolve  you  personally  from  the  line  of  conduct  duty 
to  the  Khedive  directs." 

"That  is  very  true,"  replied  the  Pasha;  "but  sup- 
posing thfi  men  surround  me  and  detain  me  by  force  ? " 

"  That  is  unlikely,  I  should  think,  from  the  state  of 
discipline  I  see  among  youi-  men  ;  but  of  course  you 
know  your  own  men  ])est." 

"Well,  I  shall  send  the  steamer  down  to-morrow  with 
the  Khedive's  letter,  and  you  would  ol)lige  me  greatly 
if  you  would  allow  one  of  your  officers  to  go  and  show 
himself  to  the  troops  at  Duffie.  Let  him  speak  to  the 
men  himself,  and  say  that  he  has  come  from  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  (*  vernment,  who  has  been  specially 
sent  by  the  Khedive  to  bring  them  out,  and  perhaps 
when  they  have  seen  him,  and  talked  with  your 
Soudanese,  they  will  ])e  willing  to  depart  with  us.  If 
the  people  go,  I  go  ;  if  they  stay,  I  stay." 

"  Now  supposing  you  resolve  to  stay,  what  of  the 
Egyptians  ? " 

"  Oh,  those  I  shall  have  to  ask  you  to  take 
charge  of." 


1B88. 
May  1. 

Nsabe. 


'''% 


!  i 


406 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


1 1 

m 

■ 

^1^^ 

^^P^" 


li 


1  ;  I 


1(1 


1888. 
Mayl, 

Nsalt 


"Now  will  you  be  ^ood  enough  to  ask  Captain  Casati 
if  we  are  to  have  the  pleasure  of  his  company  to  the 
coast,  for  we  have  been  instructed  to  lend  him  every 
assistance  in  our  power  ?" 

C^iptain  Casati  answered  through  Emin  Pasha. 

"  If  the  (tovernor  Emin  goes,  I  go  ;  if  he  stays,  I  stay." 

"Well,  1  see,  Pasha,  that  in  the  event  of  your  staying 
your  responsibilities  will  be  great,  for  you  involve 
Captain  C^asati  in  your  own  fate." 

(A  laugh),  and  the  sentence  was  translated  to  CVsati, 
and  the  gallant  Captain  at  once  replied. 

"Oh,  I  a])S()lve  Emin  Pasha  from  all  responsibility 
connected  with  me,  for  I  am  governed  by  my  own  choice 
entirely." 

"  May  I   suggest  then,  Pasha,  if  you  elect  to  remain 
here,  that  you  make  your  will  ?  " 
,     "Will!     What  for?" 

"  To  dispose  of  your  pay  of  course,  which  must  by 
this  time  be  considerable.  Eight  years  I  believe  you 
said  i  Or  perhaps  you  meditate  leaving  it  to  Nubar 
Pasha  ?  " 

"  I  give  Nubar  Pasha  mv  love.  Pho  !  There  can  be 
only  about  two  thousand  and  odd  pounds  due.  What  is 
such  c"i  sum  to  a  man  about  to  be  shelved  ?  I  am  now 
forty-eight  and  one  of  my  eyes  is  utterly  gone.  AVhen 
I  get  to  Egypt  they  will  give  me  scmie  fine  words  and 
bow  me  out.  And  all  I  have  to  do  is  to  seek  out  some 
corner  of  C^airo  or  Stamboul  for  a  final  resting-place. 
A  fine  prospect  truly  I  " 

In  the  afternoon  Emin  Pasha  came  again  to  my  tent, 
and  during  our  conversation  he  said  that  he  had  resolved 
to  leav:  Africa — "  if  his  people  were  willing  ;  if  not,  he 
would  stay  with  them." 

1  learned  also  that  the  Egyptians  were  only  too 
willing  to  leave  for  their  mother-land,  and  that  there 
were  a])out  sixty -five  of  them.  That  the  first  ])attalion 
of  Regulars  numbered  a  little  over  650,  and  that  the 
second  battalion  amounted  to  nearly  800.  That  he  had 
about  750  Remington  rifles,  and  that  the  rest  were 
armed  with  percussion  muskets. 


CAMP  AT  NSABE. 


407 


Miij/  '2)1(1. — The  K/u'</in>  steamer  lefr  this  moniitig 
for  tlie  northward,  first  to  Mswa  Station,  tlienee  to 
Tunt^urn,  fourteen  and  a  lialf  liours'  steam in<i;  from  lience  ; 
two  (hiy.s  later  she  will  sail  for  AVadelui,  the  third  day 
for  Dultle'.  She  earries  letters  from  the  Pasha  to  bring 
up  sixty  or  seventy  soldiers,  a  Major,  and  as  many 
carriers  as  can  ])e  mustered.  She  will  prol)al)ly  he 
fourteen  days  absent.  In  the  meantime  we  await  here 
her  return. 

I  omitted  to  state  before  that  tlie  Pasha  brought  with 
him,  according  to  my  letter,  a  few  bullocks  and  milk 
cows,  al"»out  forty  sheep  and  goats,  and  as  many  fowls, 
besides  several  thousand  pounds  of  grain,  as  rations  to 
subsist  the  Expedition  pending  the  time  we  should 
remain  on  the  Nyanza,  as  the  shore  in  the  neigh})ourhood 
of  Nsabe'  is  entirely  destitute  of  food  except  what  may  be 
obtained  by  hunting.  With  care  we  have  (juite  three 
weeks'  provisions  on  han<I. 

Meanwhile  the  Pasha  remains  here  with  Captain 
C'asati  and  about  twenty  soldiers,  and  is  camped  about 
300  yards  south  of  us.  He  and  his  people  are  com- 
fortably hutted.  There  is  every  prospect  of  a  j)erfect 
rest  free  from  anxiety  for  some  two  weeks,  while  myself 
and  officers  will  have  the  societv  of  a  most  amiable  and 
accomplished  man  in  the  Pasha.  Casati  does  not 
understand  English,  and  his  French  is  worse  than  my 
own,  so  1  am  excluded  from  conversing  witli  him.  I 
learn  frcmi  the  Pasha,  however,  that  C'asati  has  had  a 
difficult  time  of  it  in  L'nvoro.  Until  December  last, 
things  progressed  tolerably  well  with  him.  Residing  in 
Unyoro  as  iiimin  Pashas  Agent,  he  was  the  means  of 
forwardino;  the  Pasha's  letter  to  Tuanda,  and  trans- 
mitting  such  packets  of  letters,  books,  medicines, 
etc.,  that  Mr.  M'ckay,  Church  Missionary  Agent,  could 
spare. 

Then  from  Uganda  there  came  suddenly  news  to 
Kal)ba  Rega  of  our  Expedition,  whose  force  rumour  had 
augmented  to  thousands  of  well-ap})()inted  sohliers,  who 
intended  to  unite  with  the  Pasha's  force,  and  sweep 
through  Unyoro  and   Uganda  devastating  every  land  ; 


iH8a 

May  2. 


Nsab^ 


'•; 


Mllll 


1 1; 


408 


7.V   DAUKEST  AFIilCA. 


188K  and  presently  a  packet  of  letters  U)\'  myself  and  oftieers 
'^^  ^'  was  put  in  Kal»l»a  l{e,ua's  hands,  eontirniinn  in  a  measure 
the  truth  of  this  re[)()rt.  An  officer  was  sent  to  Casati's 
house,  and  the  Wanyoio  pilla^^ed  him  of  every  article, 
and  hound  him  and  his  servants  to  a  tree,  hesidcs  troat- 
in<i;  him  pei'sonally  with  every  mark  of  indinnity. 
JMohannned  Biri,  an  Aral),  who  had  l)een  mainly  the 
medium  of  eommunieation  between  (*asati  and  j\li-. 
Mackay,  was,  1  am  told,  treated  in  a  worse  fashion — - 
prohahly  executed  as  a  spy  an<l  traitor.  Captain  Casati 
and  his  persona)  servants,  after  a  while  were  led  out 
from  Unyoro,  l)y  Kahha  Rega's  otiicials,  and  when 
heyond  the  frontier  were  tied  to  trees  again  in  a  nude 
state.  By  s<mie  means,  however,  they  managed  to 
untie  themselves  and  escape  to  the  neigh) )oui'hood  of 
the  Lake,  where  one  of  the  servants  discovered  a  canoe 
and  set  out  for  the  western  shore  across  the  Lake  to 
Tunguru  to  o))tain  he)p  from  Emin  Pasha.  One  of  the 
Pasha's  steamers  came  across  the  daring  fellow,  and  the 
ca})tain  on  hearing  the  news,  after  sujiplying  his  vessel 
with  fuel,  steamed  away  to  ac(|uaint  the  Pasha.  In  a 
few  hours  the  Khedive  steamer  was  under  way,  com- 
manded ))y  the  Governor  in  person,  who  luul  a  detach- 
ment of  soldiers  witli  him.  After  searching  for  some 
time  the  eastern  shore,  as  directed  ))y  CVisati's  servant, 
tlie  steamer  was  hailed  from  shore  ))y  (*asati,  who  in  a 
few  moments  found  himself  safe  in  the  arms  of  his 
friend.  Some  soldiers  were  sent  on  shore,  and  Kibei'o 
was  burnt  in  retaliation  for  the  injuries  done  to  his 
agent.  Of  course,  C'asati,  having  Ijeen  turned  out  naked 
into  the  wilderness,  lost  all  his  personal  property,  journals 
and  memoirs,  and  with  these  our  letters. 

The  C^aptain  placed  a  way-))ill  in  my  hand,  wherein  I 
learn  that  postal  cariiers  left  Zauzi))ar  on  the  27  th  July, 
just  one  month  after  we  had  left  Yam))uya,  so  that  our 
letters  were  duly  received  at  Msalala  (m  the  11th 
Septem))er,  and  arrive<l  at  the  Church  ^Missionary 
Station  in  Uganda,  Novem))er  1st;  and  that  Captain 
Casati  received  six  packets  of  letters  on  the  1st 
Decern) )er,  just   twelve  days  Ijefore  we  arrived  on  the 


MA/lh'I'K/    (inl!i:i>    liV   A    JIIFFA  l.o. 


4(t!» 


wostoi'ii  sliore  of  the  Xyaiiza.  As  lie  Wits  cxpcllt'*!  on 
the  l.'Uli  February,  I  HHH,  a('c<)r(lino'  to  liis  acrouiit  (»ur 
mails  sconi  to  liavc  loiio'  lain  on  his  liands,  proliaMy  no 
means  having'  lu'cn  pivscntt'd  ot"  sending  them  to  the 
I'asha. 

This  mornino'  ll  o'clock  (Saat  Tato)  the  hunter  set  out 
to  shoot  yame  for  the  cam]),  acc(»m{)anie(l  l»y  a  few 
younu;  fellows  anxious  to  participate  in  the  sj)oi't.  Two 
buffalo  fell  victims  to  the  hunter's  uneriinu  aim,  hut  a 
third  one,  wounded  only  in  the  le^',  according;'  to  the 
cunninu'  instinct  of  the  l)east,  rushed  awav,  and  makino' 
a  circle  hid  himself  in  some  Itranchy  acacias  to  await  his 
opponent.  Alahruki,  the  son  of  Kassin,  thought  he  knew 
the  art  of  huflalo  hunting',  and  set  out  on  the  tracks  of 
the  wounded  animal.  The  laitfalo  on  the  alert  nosooner 
<lisc()vered  his  enemy,  than  uttering'  a  hoarse  hellows 
char";ed  and  tossed  him,  one  of  his  horns  enterinii'  the 
thigh  of  the  unhappy  man.  While  thus  prostrate,  he 
was  pounded  with  the  head,  gored  in  the  side,  arms,  an<l 
ripped  in  the  body,  until  Saat  Tato,  hearing  the  screams, 
rushed  to  the  rescue  when  almost  too  late,  and  })lanting 
a  shot  in  the  buffido's  head,  rolled  him  over,  dead.  A 
young  man  hurried  to  camp  to  acquaint  us  with  the  sad 
accident.  "Three  ()'ch)ck  "  set  out  again,  and  shot  four 
fine  bu(;k  roan  antelope.  While  Maln-uki  was  l>eing  borne, 
shockingly  mangled,  in  a  cot  to  our  camp,  a  strong  detach- 
ment of  men  were  bearing  the  remains  of  three  butfaloes, 
and  four  roan  antelopes  to  serve  as  provisions  for  a 
people  already  gorged  with  beef  and  grain,  but,  strange  to 
say,  there  was  as  much  eager  clamour  and  loud  demand 
for  their  due  share  as  if  the  men  were  famished. 

On  the  night  of  April  ;]Oth  a  strong  gale  blew  nearly 
all  night,  and  the  Pasha  signalled  to  the  K/tnh're  to 
drop  two  anchors.  As  there  was  good  holding  ground 
the  steamer  rode  the  gale  safely.  Since  then  we  have 
had  several  strong  squalls  acccjmpanied  with  rain  day 
and  night. 

Mat/  'SnL — Nsa])e'  Camp. 

Kavalli's  people,  like  good  subjects  to  their  absent 
prince,  came  to  visit  him  to-day,  bringing  with  them 


1  M«<S(. 

May  2. 
Nsiibo. 


4  ■  C 


^*fl 


410 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


til 


jiiniJ: 


m 


w 


l»!l 


1888. 
May  3, 

Nsab4. 


ten  l)askets  of  potatoes,  whicli  were  kindly  distributed 
])et\veen  us  and  Eniin  Pasha. 

Durinfj  a  long  conversation  this  afternoon  Emin 
Pasha  stated,  "  I  feel  convinced  that  my  people  will 
never  go  to  Egypt.  But  Mr.  Jephson  and  the  S(nidanese 
whom  you  are  kind  enough  to  leave  with  me  will  have  an 
opportunity  to  see  and  hear  for  themselves.  And  I 
would  wish  you  would  write  out  a  proclamation  or 
message  which  may  l)e  read  to  the  soldiers,  in  which 
you  will  state  what  your  instructions  are,  and  say  that 
you  await  their  declaration.  From  what  I  know  of  them 
I  feel  sure  they  will  never  go  to  Egypt.  The  Egyptians, 
(»f  course,  will  oo^  \)i\\  tliey  are  few  in  number,  and 
certainly  of  no  use  to  me  or  to  any  one  else." 

This  has  ])eon  the  most  definite  answer  I  have 
received  yet.  I  have  '  '.^en  awaiting  a  positive  declara- 
tion of  this  kind  l)efore  venturing  upon  any  further 
proposition  to  him.  Now.  to  fulfil  my  promise  to 
various  parties,  though  they  appear  somewhat  conflict- 
ing, 1  have  two  other  propositions  to  make.  My  first 
dutv  is  to  the  Khedive,  of  course  ;  and  I  should  ])e  glad 
to  find  the  Pasha  conformable,  as  an  obedient  officer  who 
kept  his  post  so  gallantly  until  ordered  to  withdraw. 
By  this  course  he  would  realise  the  ideal  (iovernor  his 
letters  created  in  my  mind.  Nevertheless,  he  has  but 
to  speak  positively  to  in<.  ice  me  to  assist  him  in  any 
way  to  the  best  of  my  power. 

"  \'^ery  well,"  1  said  ;  "  aiid  now  pray  listen.  Pasha,  to 
two  f)tlier  propositions  I  have  the  honour  of  making  to 
you  from  parties  who  would  be  glad  to  avail  themselves 
of  your  services.  Added  to  that  which  comes  from  His 
Highness  the  Khedive,  rhese  two  will  make  three,  and  I 
would  suggest  th.it,  as  there  appears  to  be  abundant 
time  before  you,  that  you  examine  each  on  its  merits 
and  elect  for  yourself. 

"  Let  me  repeat  them.  The  first  proposition  is  that 
you  still  c(»ntinue  to  be  an  obedient  soldier  and  accom- 
pany me  to  Egypt.  On  arrival,  yourself,  your  officcis 
and  men.  will  i-eceive  your  pay  up  to  (hite.  Whether 
you  will    be   empl<>yed    by   the  Government  in    active 


MY  PROPOSITIONS    TO   EMIN. 


411 


service  I  do  not  know ;  I  should  think  vou  would. 
Oliicers  of  your  kind  are  rare,  and  E<iypt  has  a  frontier 
where  such  services  as  you  could  render  would  he 
valuable.  In  answer  to  this  proposition  you,  however, 
say  that  you  feel  convinced  your  men  will  not  depart 
i'roni  here,  and  that  in  the  event  of  a  declaration  to  that 
effect  being  given  by  them  that  you  will  remain  with 
them. 

"  Now,  my  second  proposition  to  you  conies  from 
Leopold,  King  of  the  Belgians.  He  has  retpiested  me 
to  inform  you  that  in  order  to  prevent  the  lapse  of  the 
E(|uatorial  Provinces  to  barbarism,  and  provided  they 
can  yield  a  reas(mable  revenue,  the  Congo  State  might 
undertake  the  government  of  them  if  it  could  be  done 
by  an  expenditure  of  about  £10.000  or  112,000  per 
annum  ;  and  further,  that  his  ^lajesty  King  Leopohl 
was  willing  to  pay  a  sufficient  salary  to  you — .£  1,500 
as  (Governor,  with  the  rank  of  (Jenera)  — in  the  belief 
that  such  employment  agrees  with  your  own  inclinaticm. 
Your  duty  would  be  to  keep  open  the  connnunications 
between  the  Nile  and  C^ongo,  and  to  maintain  law  and 
order  in  the  Equatorial  Provinces. 

"My  third  pro})osition  is  :  If  you  are  convincccl  that 
ycair  people  will  positively  decline  the  Khedive's  oH'er 
to  return  to  Egy[)t,  that  you  accompany  me  with  such 
soldiers  as  are  loyal  to  you  to  the  norti.-east  c()rner  of 
Victoria  Nvanza,  and  ])ernHt  me  to  establish  vou  there 
in  the  name  of  the  East  Afiican  Association.  We  will 
assist  you  to  buihl  your  fort  in  a  locality  suitable  to  the 
aims  of  such  an  association,  leave  our  boat  and  such 
things  as  would  be  necessary  for  your  ])ur{)osc  with  you, 
and  then  hasten  home  across  the  Masai  Land,  lay  the 
matter  before  the  Last  .African  Association,  and  obtain 
its  sanction  for  the  act,  as  well  as  its  assistance  to 
establish  you  permanently  in  Africa.  1  nnist  explain  to 
you  that  I  have  n(>  authoi-ity  to  make  this  last  pro[)osi- 
tion.  that  it  issues  from  mv  own  goo<lwill  to  you,  and 
with  an  earnest  desire  to  save  you  and  your  men  from 
the  (;onse(|uences  of  your  determination  to  remain  here. 
But  I  feel  assured  that  \  can   obtain  its  lieaity  apj)ro\al 


1888. 
May  a 

Nsabe. 


Ilfii 


BftBMff  If^T" 

WWh  I 

.'  '  l^lj   ■- 

h 

i  liittrii 

< 

LHIUi 

:  i 

i^^K    i 

i 

mi 

' 

m 

r 

S-l 

'% 


m  i  h 


II 


iiiiiiiM 


!i4 


m 


1888. 
May  3. 

Nsabe. 


412 


IN  DARKEST  AFIilCA. 


and  co-operation,  and  lliat  the  Association  will  readily 
appreciate  the  value  of  a  trained  liattalion  or  two  in 
their  new  aecjuisition,  and  the  services  of  such  an 
administrator  a"  yourself. 

"  Pray,  grant  me  a  patient  hearing  for  a  moment  or 
two  while  1  explain  definitely  to  you  your  position  here. 
The  whole  system   of  Egyptian   extension    up    to    the 
Albert  Nyanza  was  wrong.      In  theory  it  was  Ijeautiful, 
and  it  was  natural.       What  more  natural   than  that  the 
G(n'ernment  established  at  the  mouth  of  a  river  should 
desire  to  extend  its  authority  up  along  the  banks  to  its 
source,  and  such  a  source  as  the  Nile  has.     Unhappily, 
however,  it  was  an  Egyptian  Government,  which,  how- 
ever honest  in   its   intentions,  could  only  depend  upon 
officials  of  the  lowest  moral  (juality  and  mental  calibre. 
It  is  true  the  chief  official  in  these  regions  has  been  a 
Baker,  or  a  Gordon,  or  an  Eniin,  but  all  the  subordinates 
were   Egyptians   or   Turks.      As   you   multiplied  your 
stations  and   increased  your  posts,   you   lessened  your 
own  influence.     While  in  ilie  centre  of  your  orint  there 
might  be  a  semblance  of  government ;   the  outer  circles 
remained  under  the  influences  of  Turkish  and  Egyptian 
officers  of  some  Cairene  Pasha,  or  Bey,  or  Effendi,  whose 
conduct    was  licentious  and  capricious.       By    military 
force  the  country  was  taken  and  occupied,  and  by  force 
the    occupation    has    been    maintained  ever   since.      A 
recognized  (Government,  even  if  it  be  that  of  Egypt,  has 
a   legal   and  moral  right   to  extend  its  authority    and 
enlarge  its  domain.      If  it  executes  its  will  effectively, 
so  much  the  better.     Givilization  will  be  benefited,  and 
all  peoples  are  bettei-  under  a  constituted  (ilovernment 
than  under  none.      But  was  there  an  effective  Govern- 
ment ?     As  far  as  La(h)  and  (ir()n(h)koro,  near  the  White 
Nile  Cataracts,  it  was  tolerable  I  admit.   Steamers  could 
steam  from  Berber  as  far  as  Lado,  and  the  chief  official 
could    superintend    such    sub  -  (lovernments    as    were 
established,    lait    when,    before    making    roads    or    prc- 
])aring  and  ensuring   the  means  of  <'ommunication,  the 
r^gyptian    (Jovernment    approved    the   acts    of    expan- 
sion  undertaken  over  the   immense,  trackless,  inacces- 


/  EXPLAIN  KMI2;'S   POSITION   To    I  JIM. 


413 


si])le    area    of    the    extreme    Soudan,    it    invited    the 
catastrophe  that  happened.      When  Moliammed  Aclimet 
fired  the    e()m])u,stil»le    material    that    the    extortionate 
subordinates  had  gathered,  the  means  for  extiniifuishinu: 
the  flames  were  scattered  over  an  area  of  al)ort  500,000 
S(|uare    miles.     The    (lOvernor-iJeneral    was    shiin,    his 
capital  taken  ;  one  province  after  another  fell  ;  and  their 
governors  and  soldiery,  isolated  and  far  apart,  capitu- 
lated ;  and   you,  the   last  of  these,  only  saved  }'ourself 
and  men  by  retreating  fi'om  Lado.       Expanded  on   the 
same  system,  and  governed  only  by  the  presence  of  the 
military,  these  former  Egyptian  ac(]uisitions,  if  retaken, 
would  invite  a  similar  fate.       If  the  military  occupation 
were  effective,  and  each  sub-Ciovernment  cohered  to  the 
other,    the   collapse    of  the   Government  need    not    be 
feared ;  but    it    can   never    be    effective    under    Egypt. 
Neither  her  revenues  nor  her  ])opulation  can  afford  it. 
In  the  absence  of  this,  only  self-interest  of  the  peoples 
governed   can    link    these    distant    territories    to    the 
(Jovernment   of  Egypt;  and   this  is  an   element  which 
seems   never  to   have  l)een  considered  by  those  respcm- 
sible  for  this    sudden  overorowth    of  Cairene    enujire. 
Wlien  has  this  self-interest  of  the  people  been  cultivated 
or  fostered  i     The  captains  marched  their  soldiery  to  a 
native  territory,  raised  a  flag-staff,  and  hoisted  the  red 
banner  with   the  crescent,  and   then    with    a  salute  of 
musketry  declared  the  described  <listrict  around  foi'mally 
annexed   to   Egypt.      Proclamations  were    issued    to  all 
concerned,    that    henceforth     the     ivory     trade    was    a 
monopoly  of  the  (Jovi'iinnent  ;  and  in  conse(|uence,  such 
tradei's    as  wei'c    in    the    land   were    depri\'e(l   of   their 
livelihood.      When,  to    conn)ensate    themselves    for  the 
loss  of  2)rofit   incurred    by  these   nu'asures,  the   tividei's 
turned  their  attention    to   slaves,  another   proclamation 
c 'islied   their   enter[)i'iKe    in    that    traffic  also.      A    large 
number  of  the  aborigines  derived  ])rofit  ti'om  tlie  sale  ot 
ivory  to   the  traders,  others   had   large  inteivsts  in   the 
capture  and  sale  of  slaves,  while  the  traders  tliemselves, 
having  invested  their  ca))ital   in    these  enterprises,  dis- 
euN'ereci  them  ;elves  absolutely  ruined,  both  money  and 


1.^88. 
Mav  3. 

Nsabe. 


#. 


414 


7.V  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


im 


1888. 
May  o. 

Nsabe. 


occupation  gijiie.  Remenil)er,  I  am  only  considering  the 
policy.  Thus  there  were  left  in  the  Soudan  hundreds 
of  armed  caravans,  and  each  caravan  numbered  from  a 
score  to  hundreds  of  rifles.  When  Mohamed  Achmet 
raised  the  standard  of  revolt  he  had  some  advantaoes  to 
offer  to  the  leaders  of  these  caravans  made  desperate 
1)V  tlieir  losses.  What  had  the  Government  otlicials 
to  offer  ?  Nothing.  C\)nse(juently  all  vestiges  of  the 
(Tovernmnit  tliat  had  been  so  harsh,  so  arbitrary,  and 
unwise,  v  ere  swept  away  like  chaff.  It  was  to  the 
interest  of  traders  to  oppose  themselves  to  the  (govern- 
ment, and  to  endeavour  to  restore  a  state  of  things 
which,  tlioui»h  hiiihlv  immoral  as  considered  by  us, 
to  them  meant  profit,  and,  what  is  more,  relief  from 
oppression. 

''  Now  consider  the  (V)ngo  State,  which  has  extended 
itself  much  more  rapidly  than  Egyptian  authority  was 
extended  in  the  Soudan.  Not  a  shot  has  been  fired,  no 
violence  has  been  offered  to  either  native  or  trader,  not 
a  tax  has  been  levied  except  at  the  seaport  where  the 
trader  embarks  his  exports.  Native  chiefs  voluntarily 
offered  their  teriitories,  and  united  under  the  blue  flao- 
with  the  golden  star.  Why  i  Because  there  were  many 
advantaoes  to  l)e  derived  fnmi  the  stranaers  livino' 
among  them.  First,  they  were  protected  against  tlieir 
stronger  neighbours,  every  eatable  they  could  raise  and 
sell  brouo'ht  its  full  value  to  them  of  such  clothin<»-  and 
other  necessaries  they  needed.  Whatever  trade  they 
had  -ivory.  rul>lter,  palm-oil,  or  kernels — was  free  and 
untaxed,  and  their  native  customs,  or  domestic  matters, 
were  not  interfered  with.  It  was  founded  without 
violence,  and  subsists  without  violence  ;  when,  however, 
the  (*ongo  State  initiates  another  policy,  taxes  their 
trade,  lays  hands  upon  the  ivory  as  a  (Jovei'nment 
monopoly,  meddk's  with  their  domestic  institutions, 
absorbs  tyrannically  all  the  profits  of  the  Kuropean 
trader,  before  it  is  firmly  established  on  the  soil,  and 
ii'athei'ed  about  its  stations  suffi<'ient  phvsical  force  to 
enable  it  to  do  so  with  impunity,  the  (/ongo  State  will 
collapse  just  as  tlisastrously  and  as  suddenly  as  was  the 


THE   CONGO   STATE. 


415 


iderino;  the 
I  hundreds 
ed  from  a 
sd  Achniet 
antnoes  to 
i  desperate 
lit  otticial.s 
fj^es  (^f  the 
itrary,  and 
ras  to  the 
le  (iiovern- 
of  things 
3(1  1  )y  us, 
elief  from 

i  extended 

hority  was 

n  fired,  no 

:rader,  not 

where  tlie 

oluntarilv 

l»lue  Hao- 

^ei'e  many 

srs    livinu' 

inst  tlieii- 

raise  and 

tliin<>-  and 

rade  they 

free  and 

•  matters, 

witliout 

however, 

xes    their 

vei'nment 

tituticms, 

iMU'opean 

soil,   and 

force   to 

>tate  will 

was  the 


case  with  Egyptian  authority  in  the  Soudan.  'I'he 
disaster  that  occurred  at  Stanley  Falls  station  is  an 
indication  of  what  may  he  expected. 

"  Now  every  man  who  reflects  at  all  will  see  that  these 
Provinces  of  yours  can  never  be  re-occupied  ]>y  Egypt 
while  Egypt  is  governed  by  Egyptian  officials.  Egypt 
cannot  afford  the  sums  necessary  to  maintain  an  effective 
occupation  over  a  territory  so  remote.  They  are  too 
distant  from  Wadi  Haifa,  the  present  true  limit  of  her 
territory.  When  she  connects  Wadi  Haifa  with  Berber,  or 
Khartoum  or  Suakim  \\'\t\\  Berber  ])y  railway,  Lad(>  may 
be  considered  the  extreme  southern  limit  of  her  territory. 
When  a  railway  connects  La(lo\  'th  DafHc  the  true  limit 
of  Egyptian  authority  will  ])e  the  southern  end  of  this 
Lake,  provided  always  that  the  military  force  will  be 
sufficient  to  maintain  this  mode  of  communication  unin 
terrupted.  When  do  you  think  all  this  will  ha})pcn  ? 
Durino-  your  lifetime  ? 

"  Who  else,  then,  will  be  so  (piixotic  as  to  casta  covetous 
eve  on  these  Provinces?  The  Kino-  of  the  Belmans  ? 
Well,  there  is  a  stipulation  connected  with  this  pro[)osal, 
and  that  is,  if  the  Provinces  can  'give  a  reasonable 
revenue.'  You  are  the  l)est  judge  of  this  matter,  and 
Vvdiether  £10,000  or  £12,000  sul)sidy  will  suffice  for  the 
support  of  the  Oovernment  of  these  Province's.  The 
revenue,  whatever  it  may  l)e  with  this  additional  sum, 
must  be  sufficient  to  maintain  about  twenty  stati(nis  be- 
tween here  and  Yambuya,  a  distance  of  ()50  miles  or 
therea])outs  :  that  is,  to  pay  about  1.200  soldiers,  alxnit 
fifty  or  sixty  officers,  and  a  supreme  (Tovernor,  furnish 
their  eijuipments,  the  means  of  defence,  and  such  trans- 
port force  as  may  be  necessary  to  unite  the  most  distant 
part  with  the  (\)ngo. 

''  Failini»'  the  KinL"'  of  the  Beloians,  who  else  will 
undertake  your  support  and  maintenance,  befitting 
vour  station  and  necessity!*  There  ai'C  enouidi  kind- 
hearted  people  in  this  world  possessed  of  sufficient 
superfluous  means  to  ecpiip  jin  Expedition  once,  say, 
every  three  years.  But  this  is  only  a  renij)orary 
expedient    for    mere    subsistence,    and     it     scarcel\-    re- 


1H,S8. 
JUay  3. 
Nsabe. 


tfii^ii! 


If 

1888. 
Mny  ;i. 


41(3 


JX  I>A1U<E^T  AFIUCA. 


sponds  to  yonr  wishes.  AVliat  then  ?  T  await  your 
aiiswoi'  Pasha,  ao-aiii  l»eui»iiii»-  to  ])e  excused  for  ])eiii<T  so 
t'llkative. 

"  1  thank  vou  very  much,  Mr.  Stanley,  I  (h)  assure 
you,  fVoni  my  heart.  If  1  fail  to  express  my  gratitude, 
it  is  hecause  language  is  insutticient.  But  I  feel  your 
kindness  deeply,  I  assure  you,  and  will  answer  you 
frankly. 

"Now,  to  the  first  proposition  you  have  made  me, 
I  haye  already  given  my  answer. 

"To  the  second  I  would  say  that,  first  of  all,  my 
duty  is  to  Egypt.  While  I  am  here,  the  Provinces 
belong  to  Egypt,  and  remain  her  propertj'  until  I  retire. 
When  I  depart  they  become  'no  man's  land.'  I  can- 
not strike  my  flag  in  such  a  manner,  and  change  the  red 
for  the  blue.  I  have  served  the  first  ^or  thirty  years  ; 
the  latter  I  never  saw.  Besides,  may  I  { sk  you  if,  with 
your  recent  experience,  you  thiidc  it  likely  that  commu- 
nication could  be  kept  open  at  reasonable  cost?" 

"  London)  )tedly  not  at  first.  Our  experiences  have 
been  too  terrible  to  forget  them  soon  ;  ])ut  we  shall 
return  to  Yambuya  for  the  rear  column,  1  anticipate, 
with  much  less  suffering.  The  pi(jneer  suffers  most. 
Those  who  follow  us  will  profit  by  what  we  have 
learn  e<l." 

"  That  may  be,  but  wo  sliall  be  at  least  two  years 
before  any  news  can  reach  us.  No,  I  do  not  think  that 
proposition,  with  all  due  gratitude  to  I  lis  i\[ajesty  King- 
Leopold,  can  be  entertained,  and  therefore  let  us  turn  to 
the  last  proposition. 

"  I  do  not  think  that  my  people  would  object  to  accom- 
panying me  to  the  \  ictoria  Nyanza,  as  their  ol)jection, 
so  far  as  I  know,  only  applies  to  going  to  Egypt.  As- 
suming that  the  people  are  willing,  I  admire  the  project 
very  much.  It  is  the  best  solution  of  the  difficulty,  and 
by  far  the  most  reasonable.  For  consider  that  three- 
fourths  of  the  8,000  people  are  wcmien,  children,  and 
young  slaves.  What  would  the  Government  do  with 
such  a  mass  of  people?  Would  it  feed  them?  Then 
think  of  the  diiriculty  of  travel  with  such   an   army  of 


THE  '  FOREIGN  OFFICE'   DESPATCHES. 


417 


await  your 
for  l)eiii<x  «<> 


I  do  assure 
ly  oratitude, 
t  I  feel  your 
answer   you 

e  made  me, 

'•  of  all,  my 
e  Provinces 
ntil  I  retire, 
lid.'  I  can- 
mo-e  the  red 
liirty  years  ; 
you  if,  with 
hat  commu- 

st  '(  " 

ienees   have 

it   we  shall 

anticipate, 

tiers    most. 

we    ha\e 

two  }Tars 
think  that 
jesty  Kino- 
US  turn  to 

t  to  aeconi- 
ol)jection, 
•ypt.  As- 
le  project 
ieulty,  and 
hat  three- 
Idren,  and 
t  <lo  with 
n  /  Then 
army  of 


helpless  people.     I  cannot  take  upon  myself  the  respon-     i8R8. 
sibility  of  leading  such  a  host  of  tender-footed  people  to    ^^y  ^' 
die  on  the  road.     Thejourney  to  the  Victoria  is  possible. 
It  is  comparhtively  short.     Yes,  }»y  far  the  last  proposi- 
tion is  the  most  feasible." 

"  There  is  no  hurry,  since  you  are  t(.>  await  the  arrival 
of  the  rear  column.  Turn  the  matter  over  in  your  mind 
while  I  go  to  bring  the  ^lajor  up.  You  have  certainly 
some  weeks  before  you  to  consider  the  (piestion  tho- 
roughly." 

I  then  showed  him  the  printed  Foreign  Office 
despatches  furnished  to  me  by  order  of  Lord  Iddes- 
leigh.  Among  these  was  a  eopy  of  his  letter  to  8ir 
John  Kirk,  wherein  he  offered  the  Province  in  188G  to 
England,  and  stated  that  he  would  be  most  liappy  to 
surrender  the  Province  to  the  British  Government,  or, 
in  fact,  any  Power  that  would  undertake  to  maintain 
the  Province. 

"  Ah,"  said  the  Pasha,  "  they  shouhl  never  have 
published  this  letter.  It  was  private.  What  will  the 
Egyptian  Government  think  of  my  conduct  in  ven- 
turing to  treat  of  such  a  matter  ? " 

"  I  cannot  see  the  harm,"  I  replied  ;  "  the  Egy2:)tian 
Government  declares  its  inability  to  keep  the  Province 
the  British  Government  will  have  nothing  to  do  with 
it,  and  I  do  not  know  of  any  company  or  body  of  men' 
who  would  undertake  the  maintenance  of  what  I  regard, 
under  all  the  circumstances,  as  a  useless  possession.  In 
my  opinion  it  is  just  500  miles  too  far  inland  to  be  of 
any  value,  unless  Uganda  and  Unyoro  have  been  first 
brought  under  law  ;  that  is,  if  you  persist  in  declining 
King  Leopold's  offer.  If  you  absolutely  decline  to 
serve  the  Kin<T  of  the  Beloinris,  and  vou  are  resolved 
to  stay  in  Africa,  you  must  trust  in  my  promise  to  get 
a  British  Gompany  to  employ  you  and  your  troo^os, 
which  probably  has  by  this  time  been  chartered  with 
the  purpose  of  constituting  i  British  possession  in  East 
Africa." 

VOL.   I.  BB 


#1  1 

418 


IN  DARKEST  AFROTA. 


1888 
May  4 

Nsabe. 


CHAPTER  XVL 

WITH  THE  PASHA  {continued). 

Fortified  stations  m  the  Province — Storms  at  Nsabe — A  nest  of  yonnpj 
crocodiles  —  lake  Ibrahim  —  Zanzibari  raid  on  Balegga  villages — 
Dr.  Parke  gets  in  search  of  the  two  missing  men — The  Zanzibar's 
again — A  real  tornado — The  Pasha's  gifts  to  us — Introduced  to 
Emin's  officers — Emin's  cattle  forays — The  Khedive  departs  for  Mswa 
station — Mabruki  and  his  wages — The  Pasha  and  the  use  of  the 
sextant  —  Departure  of  local  chiefs  — Arrival  of  the  Kliedive  and 
Nyavza  steamers  with  soldiers — Arrangements  made  to  return  in 
search  of  the  rear-column — ]\Iy  message  to  the  troops — Our  Badzwa 
road — A  farewell  dance  by  tlie  Zanzibaris — The  Madi  carriers'  dis- 
appearance— First  sight  of  Ruwenzori — Former  circumnavigators  of 
the  Albert  Lake — Lofty  twin-peak  mountain  near  the  East  Ituri 
Eiver — Aid  for  Emin  against  Kabba  Eega— Two  letters  from  Emin 
Pasha — We  are  informed  of  an  intended  attack  on  us  by  chiefs 
Kadongo  and  Musiri — Fresh  INIadi  carriers  —  We  attack  Kadongo's 
camp — With  assistance  from  Mazamboni  and  Gavira  we  march  on 
Musiri's  camp  which  turns  out  to  be  deserted — A  phalanx  dance  by 
Mazamboni's  warriors — Music  on  the  African  Continent — Camp  at 
Nzera-kum  Hill — Presents  from  various  chiefs — Chief  Musiri  wishes 
for  peace. 

May  ■itli. — Mswji,  I  am  told,  is  9  hours'  distaiu'e  from 
Nsabe  camp  })y  steamer,  thence  to  Tunguru  is  5  hours, 
and  to  Wadelai  18  hours.  The  other  fortified  stations 
are  named  Fahbo,  east  of  Nile  ;  Duftie'  end  of  naviga- 
tion ;  Horiyu,  Lahore,  Muggi,  Kirri,  Bedden,  Rejaf,  and 
three  or  four  small  stations  inhmd,  west  of  the  Nile. 

He  has  spoken  in  a  more  hopeful  tone  to-day  of  the 
prospects  of  returning  from  the  sliores  of  the  Albert, 
the  Victoria  Lake  region  appearing  even  more  attrac 
tive  than  at  first.  But  there  is  sui. 
that  I  cannot  fathom. 

Mdji  fiM.— Halt  at  Nsabe. 

Another  storm  broke  out  to-day,  commencing  at 
8  A.M.,  blowing  from  the  north-east.  The  previous 
gales   were   south-easters,    veering   to   east.       Looking 


hing  about  it  all 


STORMS   AT  NSABE. 


419 


est  of  young 
;a  villages — 
le  Zanzibaris 
itroduced  to 
irts  for  Mswa 
e  use  of  the 
Kliedive  and 
to  return  in 
-Our  Badzwa 
carriers'  dis- 
nuvigators  of 
?!  East  Ituri 
•s  from  Emin 
lis  by  chiefs 
3k  Kadongo's 
ve  march  on 
,nx  dance  by 
it — Camp  at 
lusiri  wishes 


aiice  from 

s  5  hours, 

d  stations 

►f  naviga- 

^ejaf,  and 

Nile. 

ly  of  tlie 

e  Albert, 

e  attrae- 

)0ut  it  all 


incnig 


at 


previous 
Looking 


toward  the  steep  slope  of  the  plateau  walls  east  and 
west  of  us,  we  saw  it  shrouded  in  mist  and  vapour, 
and  rain-clouds  ominous  of  tempests.  The  whole 
face  (»f  the  Nyanza  was  foam,  spray,  and  white  rollers, 


w 


hich,  as    thev    approached    the    shore,  we    s 


aw    were 


separated  by  great  troughs,  very  dangerous  to  any 
small  craft  that  might  he  overtaken  by  the  storm. 

M(i>/  Itli.  — Halt  at  Nsabe. 

While  at  dinner  with  me  this  evening,  the  Paslia 
informed  me  that  Casati  had  expressed  himself  very 
strongly  against  the  route  pro})osed  to  be  taken,  v'kI 
Usongora,  south,  an<l  advised  the  Pasha  to  take  the 
Monbuttu  route  to  the  Congo.  From  which  I  conclude 
that  the  Pasha  has  been  sr^eakino'  to  Casati  about  uoinjx 
home.  Has  he  then  altered  his  mind  about  the 
\  ictoria  ? 

M(i}/  8///.  — Halt  at  Nsabe'. 

Each  day  has  its  storm  of  wind  and  rain,  loud 
thunder-claps,  preceded  by  a  play  of  lightning  Hashes, 
most  beautiful,  but  terrible. 

Discovered  a  nest  of  young  crocodiles,  thirty-seven  in 
number,  having  just  issued  from  their  egg-homes.  By- 
the-bye.  to  those  unacquainted  with  the  fact,  a  crocodile 
has  five  claws  on  the  fore  feet,  and  onlv  four  claws  on 
the  hinder.  It  has  been  stated  that  a  crocodile  raises 
the  u])per  jaw  to  devour,  whereas  the  fact  is  it  depresses 
the  lower  jaw  like  other  animals. 

JA///  \)tk,  lOM.— Halt  at  Nsabe. 

Mcuf  11 M. — P\)od  supply  is  getting  low.  Five  men 
have  wandered  ofi' in  .-search  of  s(miething,  and  have  not 
returned  siuv-e  vesterdav.  1  ho))e  we  are  not  j'oini''  to 
be  demoralized  again. 

Mr.  Jeplison  is  suffering  from  a  bilious  attack. 

liake  Ibrahim,  or  (iita  Nzige  according  to  the  Pasha, 
is  only  an  expansion  of  the  Victoria  Nile,  similar  to  that 
below  Wadelai  and  Lake  Albert,  the  Uppiu'  CV)n<',(),  and 
Stanley  Pool.  (Vmsequently  it  has  numerous  channels, 
separated  by  lines  of  islets  and  sand-bars.  Both 
(Jordon  and  Emin  Pasha  have  ti-a veiled  by  land  along 
its  right  bank. 


1HH8. 
May  tj. 

Nsiibe. 


I 


I 


(I's'      1 


'^1 


420 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


Nsabe. 


1888.  At  9  P.M.  I  received  dismal  intelligence.  Four  men, 
^v^^V-^  whom  I  observed  playin<j!;  on  the  sandy  shore  of  the 
Ip.ke  at  4  o'clock,  suddenly  took  it  into  their  heads  to 
make  a  raid  (m  some  Balei'i'a  villas'es  at  the  foot  of  the 
plateau  N.N.W.  from  here.  They  were  surrounded  hy 
the  natives,  and  two  of  them  seemed  to  have  lieen 
killed,  while  the  other  two,  who  escaped,  show  severe 
wounds. 

May  12^.— Halt  at  Nsabe. 

This  morning  sent  Doctor  Parke  with  forty-five  rifles  to 
hunt  up  the  two  missing  men.  One  of  them  came  in  at 
9  A.M.  after  a  night  spent  in  the  wilderness.  He  has  a  deep 
gash  in  the  back  from  a  spear  that  had  been  hurled  at 
him.  Fortunately  it  did  not  penetrate  the  vital  parts. 
He  tells  me  he  was  exchanging  meat  for  flour  when  he 
heard  rif^e  shots  ahead,  and  at  once  there  was  general 
alarm.  The  natives  Hed  one  way  and  he  fled  another, 
but  presently  found  himself  pursued,  and  received  a 
spear  wound  in  the  back.  He  managed  to  outrun  the 
pursuer,  until  in  the  deep  grass  of  watercourse  he 
managed  to  hide  while  a  numl)er  of  natives  were 
searching  for  him.  He  lay  there  all  night,  and  when 
the  sun  was  up,  lifted  his  head  to  take  a  look  round, 
and  seeing  no  one,  made  his  way  to  the  camp. 

I  am  never  quite  satisfied  as  to  the  manner  of  these 
accidents,  wdiether  the  natives  or  the  Zanzibaris  are  the 
aggressors.  The  latter  relate  with  exceeding  plausiljility 
their  version  of  the  matter,  but  they  are  such  adepts  in 
the  art  of  lying  that  I  am  frequently  liewildered.  The 
extraction  of  the  truth  in  this  instance  seems  to  be  so 
hopeless  that  I  tell  them  I  judge  of  the  matter  thus  : 

"  You  Zanzil)aris,  so  long  as  you  receive  five  or  six 
pounds  of  flour  and  as  many  pimnds  of  meat  daily, 
become  so  lazy,  you  would  not  go  to  the  steamer  for 
more  to  provide  rations  while  she  would  be  absent. 
She  has  ])een  gone  now  several  days,  your  rations  are 
nearly  exhausted,  of  course,  for  who  can  supply  you 
with  as  much  meat  as  you  can  waste,  and  you  left 
camp  without  permission,  to  steal  from  the  Balegga. 
There  was  quite  a  party  of  you,  I  hear,  and  most  of  you, 


ZANZIBARI  RAID    UN  BALEOGA    VILLAGES. 


421 


on  seeing  the  vilhigc  fairly  crowded  with  natives,  were 
more  prudent  than  otliers,  and  tiaded  n  little  meat  for 
flour,  hut  your  hohler  (^cmipanions  passed  on,  and  hegan 
to  loot  fowls.  The  natives  resented  this,  shot  their 
arrows  at  the  tliieves.  who  fired  in  return,  and  there 
was  a  general  flight.  One  of  your  nund)er  has  heen 
killed.  1  have  lost  a  rifle,  and  three  more  of  you  have 
been  wounded,  and  will  be  unfit  for  work  for  a  long 
time.  Tliat  is  the  truth  of  the  matter,  and  therefore  I 
shall  give  you  no  medicines.  Cure  your  own  wounds  if 
you  can,  and  you  three  fellows,  if  you  recover,  shall  pay 
me  for  my  rifle. 

Ma;/  13^.— Halt  at  Nsabe. 

The  doctor  returned  from  his  cpiest  of  the  missing 
without  further  incident  than  burning  two  small  vil- 
lages and  firing  a  few  shots  at  distant  parties.  He 
was  unal)le  to  recover  the  body  of  the  Zanzibari,  or 
his  Winchester  rifle.  Where  he  fell  was  marked  with 
a  good  deal  of  ])lood,  and  iv  is  probal)le  that  he  wounded 
some  of  his  foes, 

A  real  tornado  blew  last  nioht.  Inkv  clouds  gather- 
ing  to  the  S.E.E.  and  N.E.  prepared  us  somewhat  for  a 
wet  night,  but  not  for  the  fearful  volume  of  wind  which 
pressed  on  us  with  such  solid  force  as  to  wreck  camp 
and  lay  low  the  tents.  The  sound,  as  it  approached, 
resembled  that  which  we  might  expect  from  the  rupture 
of  a  chim  or  the  rush  from  a  collapsed  reservoir.  The 
rain,  swept  l)y  such  a  powerful  force,  pierced  every- 
where. No  precaution  that  w^e  had  been  taught  l)y 
past  experience  of  this  ISyanza  weather  availed  us 
against  the  searching,  penetrative  power  of  the  rain 
and  its  fine  spray.  From  under  tlie  huts  iiim  icnts, 
and  along  the  ridge  poles,  through  close  shut  windows, 
ventilators,  and  doors,  the  tornado  drove  the  rain  in 
until  we  were  deluged  T(j  contend  against  such  power 
of  wind  and  water  in  a  pitchy  darkness  in  the  midst  of 
a  deafening  uproar  was  so  hopeless  a  task  that  our  only 
refuge  was  to  bear  it  in  silence  and  with  closed  lips. 
Daylight  revealed  a  placed  lake,  a  ragged  sky,  plateau 
tops   buried    in    masses   of    vapour,    a    wrecked   camp, 


1888. 
May  12. 

Ssabe. 


1.    [ 


422 


/AT  DAIiKEST  AFHTCA. 


if  ^ 


1;lf 


II   i' 


3' 


1888.  prostnite  tents,  find  soaking'  t'ui'nitnrc.  So  t(MTil)l('  was 
^'^y  \^*  the  roar  of  the  surf  that  we  should  liave  wislied  to 
linve  viewed  the  eareei'in^  lollers  and  tenipestnous  face 
of  the  hike  l)y  (hiyli<;iit.  It  is  to  he  iioped  that  the 
ohl  Klii'dhw  was  safely  liarhoured,  otherwise  she  must 
liave  foundered. 

Mai/  14///.      I  Fait  at  Nsahe. 

The  steamer  K/icdirc  arrived  this  afternoon,  l>rin,nin^' 
in  a  supply  of  millet  j^rain  and  a  few  mih-h  eows.  The 
Pasha  eanie  up  smiling  with  welcome  yifts  for  each  of 
us.  To  me  he  gave  a  pair  of  stout  walking  shoes  in 
exehango  for  a  smaller  pair  of  hoots  to  l>e  given  him  on 
my  retui'n  with  the  reai-  c()lumn.  Mr.  -lephsoii  was 
made  happy  with  a  shirt,  a  singlet,  and  a  pair  of 
drawers;  whih'  Dr.  Parke,  whose  grand  kit  had  heen 
stolen  l)v  an  abscond  in  u'  Zanzihari,  received  a  hlue 
jei'sey,  a  singlet,  and  a  pair  of  drawers.  Each  of  us 
also  received  a  pot  of  lioney,  scmic  hananas,  oranges, 
and  water  meh)ns,  nions,  an<l  salt.  I  .dso  received  a 
])oun(l  of  "  Iloneydew  Tobacco  "  and  a  bottle  of  jnckles. 

These  gifts,  such  as  chjthes,  that  our  officers  have 
received  from  Emin  Pasha,  reveal  that  he  was  not  in 
the  extreme  distress  we  had  imagined,  and  that  there 
was  no  necessity  for  the  advance  to  have  pressed  for- 
ward so  hurri('(lly.*  We  left  all  our  comforts  and 
reserves  of  clothing  behind  at  Yambuya,  that  w^e  might 
press  on  to  the  rescue  of  one  whom  we  imagined  was 
distressed  not  only  for  want  of  means  of  defence  from 
enemies,  but  in  want  of  clothing.  Besides  the  double 
trip  we  have  made  to  Lake  Albert,  I  fear  I  shall  have 
to  travel  far  to  go  to  the  rescue  of  Major  Barttelot  and 
the  rear  column.  (Jod  only  knows  where  he  is.  He 
may  not  have  left  Yambuya  yet,  and  if  so  we  shall 
have  1300  miles  extra  marching  to  ])erform.  It  is  a 
terribly  long  march  through  a  forbidding  country,  and 
[  fear  I  shall  lose  many  and  many  a  good  soul  before  it 
is  ended.     However,  God's  will  be  done. 

*  Yet,  Emin  Paslia  wrote  ii  letter  on  the  25tli  Miircli,  1888,  to  tlie 
Editor  of  Peterniann's  Magazine,  fifty  dcays  iireviously,  wliich  lie  con- 
cluded with  the  words,  "  If  Stanley  does  not  come  soon,  we  are  lost." 


INTUODUCEl)    TO    EMIS'S    OFFICERS. 


423 


He  iiitr(nlu('('(l  to  mc  to-day  Sclini  Wy  and  Major 
Awash  Etieiidi,  and  other  otticHTs.  I  had  siio<4(',st('d  to 
him  two  or  three  days  ao;o  that  he  (•oid<l  assist  inc 
greatly  if  he  eonstrueted  a  small  station  on  Nyamsassi 
Island,  where  we  would  he  sine  to  have  easv  connnuni- 
cation  with  his  people,  on  which  he  also  could  store  a 
reserve  of  corn  readv  for  the  ai-rival  of  the  united 
Kx])edition.  and  he  readily  })roniise(l  me.  \\\\{  I  conf<'ss 
to  experiencing*'  some  wonder  to-(hiy  when  he  tuincd  to 
Awash  Etfendi,  the  Major,  and  said,  rather  [)lcadinii;ly 
I  thouf^ht,  "Now  promise  me  hefore  Mr.  Stanley  that 
vou  will  oive  lue  fortv  men,  to  hnihl  this  station,  which 
Mr.  Staidey  so  nmch  desires."  There  is  somethinuf 
about  this  that  I  do  not  understand,  it  is  certainly 
not  like  mv  ideal  (Jovernor,  Vice-Kinii,  and  leader  of 
men,  to  talk  in  that  strain  to  subordinates. 

Had  another  e(mversation  with  Kmin  I'asha  to-day, 
from  which  1  feel  eonvinced  that  w«'  shall  not  only  have 
to  march  to  the  Albert  Nyanza  a^ain,  but  that  we  shall 
have  to  wait  afterwards  at  least  two  months  befoi-e  he 
(tan  get  his  people  to^i^ether.  Instead  of  setting'  to  work 
during  our  absence  to  collect  his  ])"oj)le  and  ])i'epare 
for  the  journey,  it  is  proposed  to  wait  until  my  return 
with  the  rear  column,  when  it  is  expected  I  shall  go  as 
far  as  Dulile  to  persuade  the  people  to  follow  me.  He 
still  feels  assured  his  people  will  not  go  to  Egypt, 
but  mav  be  induced  to  march  as  far  as  the  \'ictoria 
Nyanza. 

I  asked  him  if  the  report  was  true  that  ln'  had  cap- 
tured 13,000  head  of  cattle  during  an  incursion  to  the 
western  cattle-lands. 

"Oh,  no;  it  is  an  exaggeration.  A  certain  l^akhit 
Bey  succeeded  in  taking  8000  head  during  a  i-aid  he 
made  in  IMakraka,  durinix  Raouf  l^asha's  Governor- 
(leneralship  ;  but  he  was  severely  censured  for  the  act, 
as  such  wholesale  raiding  only  tended  to  depopulate  a 
country.  That  has  been  the  greatest  nund)er  of  cattle 
obtained  at  one  time.  I  have  had  occasion  to  order 
forays  to  be  made  to  obtain  food,  but  IGOO  head  has 
been  the  greatest   number  we  have   ever  succeeded  in 


1888. 
.May  14. 

Nsabt. 


«iii 


i  t" 


?i 


ii 


} 


Nsabe. 


424 


IN  DAHKEST  AFBICA. 


1888.     oljtaining  at  one  time.     ( )tlier  forays  liave  resulted  in 
May  14.   },i.inging  us  500,  800,  and  1200  head." 

Both  yesterday  and  to-day  liave  been  very  pleasant. 
The  temperature  of  air  in  shade,  according  to  Fahrenheit, 
has  been  as  follows  : — 


9  A.M.      Bl 

eeze 

from  S.E. 

.     86° 

10.30  A.M. 

.     88°  30" 

1.30  P.M. 

.     88°  30" 

7  P.M 

.     76° 

Midnight 

.     73° 

6  A.M. 

.     73° 

Compensated  aneroid.     ]\Iean 

2 -300  feet  a1 

ove  .sea. 

3fai/  IG^A.— Nsabe  CVimp. 

The  steamer  Klicdin'  departed  this  morning  for  Mswa 
Station  and  Tunguru.  and  probably  f(jr  Wadelai,  to 
hurry  up  a  certain  number  of  porters  to  replace  our 
men  lost  by  starvation  in  the  wilderness.  Captain 
Casati  and  Mons.  \'ita  Hassan,  the  Tunisian  ap(jthecary, 
have  sailed  with  her. 

In  order  to  keep  my  men  occupied,  I  have  begun 
cutting  a  straight  I'oad  through  the  plain  towards 
Badzwa  Village.  When  we  take  our  departure  hence 
we  shall  find  our  advantaoe  in  the  shorter  cut  than  bv 
taking  the  roundabout  patli  ])y  Nyamsassi  Island  and 
the  site  of  ohl  Kavalli. 

Fetteli,  our  interpretei'.  wounded  in  •  the  st(mia(;h  at 
the  skirmish  of  l^es.sc.  is  now  (juite  recovered,  and  is 
fast  re,<»ainin<»'  his  old  weiti'lit. 

Mabruki,  the  s(m  of  Kassim,  so  manu'led  bv  the 
Ituffalo  the  other  day,  is  slowly  improving. 

The  man  wounded  by  a  spear  in  the  back  during  his 
foray  into  the  villages  of  Lando,  shows  also  signs  of 
rapid  reco^('ry. 

We  live  in  liav-cock  huts  now,  and  mav  consider 
ourselves  householders  (according  to  Emin  Pasha)  of  the 
Albert  Nyanza  Province. 

Afdi/  17 th. — Nsabe  Camp. 

Our  road  is  now  2,:5GO  paces  long  towards  Badzwa 
Village. 

Mill/  IHM.— Nsal)e  Camp. 

Our  hunters,  when  receiving  cartridges,  insist  cm  their 


THE  PASHA    AND    THE  SEXTANT. 


425 


resulted  in 


bein^'  laid  on  the  ground.     Ill  luck  would  follow  if  the 
cartridgeri  were  delivered  to  them  from  the  hand. 

I  have  heen  instructing  the  Pasha  in  the  use  of  the 
sextant  the  last  two  days  preparatory  to  taking  lessons 
in  navigation.  His  only  surveying  instrument  hitlierto 
lias  been  a  prismatic  compass,  and  as  he  has  never  been 
taught  to  discover  its  variation,  it  is  probable  that  his 
surveys  have  been  from  magnetic  bearings. 

The  son  of  Kassim,  the  victim  to  the  fury  of  an 
angry  1  mtfalo,  called  me  this  morning  to  his  l)edside,  that 
I  might  register  his  last  wishes  respecting  the  wages 
due  to  him.  His  friend  Maruf  and  adopted  brother 
Sungoro  are  to  be  the  legatees.  Poor  ]\Ial)ruki  desired 
to  remember  another  friend,  but  the  legatees  hetjifed  him 
not  to  Jill  the  MaMer\<^  hook  ivith  namei^.  He  was  so 
dejected  that  I  told  him  that  the  doctor  had  great  faith 
tliat  he  would  recover.  "You  are  in  no  danger.  Your 
wounds  are  very  bad,  but  they  are  not  mortal,  and  as 
the  Pasha  will  take  (^are  of  you  in  my  absence,  I  shall 
fmd  you  a  strong  man  when  I  return.  Why  do  you 
grieve  to-day  ? " 

"  Ah,  it  is  because  something  tells  me  1  shall  never 
see  the  road  again.  See,  is  not  my  l)ody  a  ruin  ?  " 
Lideed  he  was  a  pitiable  sight,  right  eye  almost  obscured, 
two  ribs  broken,  right  thigh  and  fork  lacerated  in  the 
most  dreadful  manner. 

The  Chief  Ml)iassi  of  Kavalli  departed  homeward  two 
days  ago.  Mpigwa,  Chief  of  Nyamsassi,  and  his  retinue 
left  yesterday.  Kyya-nkonch)  or  Katoiiza,  for  he  has 
two  names,  also  went  his  way  (which,  by  the  way,  is  in 
the  wihlerness  owing  to  a  late  visit  of  Kablta  Reua's 
brigands),  while  iMazamboni's  people  after  entertaining 
the  Pasha  and  his  officers  with  a  farewell  dance  last 
night,  took  their  leave  this  morning. 

Three  l)ufl"alo  and  a  water  buck  were  shot  yesterday 
by  two  of  our  hunters. 

The  last  four  days  and  nights  have  given  us  ])etter 
thoughts  of  this  African  land  and  lake  shoiv  than  we 
previously  entertained.  The  weathei*  has  been  some- 
what warm,  but  the  lake  breeze  blowing  light  and  soft, 


1888. 
May  17 

Nsabfe. 


•liijil 


1 

1 

'  i     '               ■  \ 

1888. 
May  19. 

Nsabe. 


426 


IN  DAltKEtiT  AFRICA. 


just  strong  enough  to  swing  pendulous  foliage,  has  been 
cooling  and  grateful.  The  nights  have  been  more 
refreshing.  In  a  sky  of  radiant  brightness  the  moon 
has  stood  high  above  the  plateau's  crown,  turning  the 
lake  into  a  (juivoring  silver  plain,  the  lake  surf  so 
blustering  and  restless,  rolls  in  a  slow  and  languid 
cadence  on  a  gray  shore  of  sand  before  the  light 
breath  of  an  eastern  wind.  As  if  to  (celebrate  and 
honour  this  peaceful  and  i-estful  life,  the  Zanzibaris  and 
natives,  who,  last  December  were  such  furious  foes, 
rival  one  another  with  soiio-  and  chorus  and  strenuous 


dance  to  a  late  hour  each  night. 


THE    STKAMK.Ra    "  KHKJtlVK  "    AND    "  NYAXZA ''    OX    LAKi:   ALUKliT. 

M(ti/  19M.-  Nsabc  Camp. 

Our  road  towards  l^iadzwa  is  now  three  and  a 
third  miles  long.  We  have  l)ut  to  hoe  up  the  grass 
along  a  line,  and  we  liave  a  beautiful  path,  with  the 
almost  imperceptible  rise  of  I  foot  in  200. 

Maj,'  20fh. — Nsal>e  Cam]). 

Captured  two  small  brown  snakes  of  a  slight  coppery 
tint  in  mv  tent  this  moi'ning. 

Mai/  2"l.s7.— Nsabe  Camp.' 


THE  ''KHEDIVE"   AND   '' NYANZA"    STEAMERS.       427 


e,  has  been 
been    more 

tlie  moon 
urning  the 
ke  surf  so 
1(1    languid 

the  light 
ein'ate  and 
zi])aris  and 
irious  foes, 
L  strenu(jus 


,BKKT. 


'C     and     a 
tlie  grass 
with   the 


it  eoppei}' 


The  Pasha  is  now  able  to  read  the  sextant  very  well.  1888. 
He  has  also  made  an  advance  towards  linding  index  ^'''^  '^" 
error  ;  though  he  labours  under  the  infirmity  of  short 
sight,  he  is  (juick  and  devoted  to  his  intention  of 
acquiring  the  art  of  observing  })y  the  instrument.  At 
noon  we  took  meridian  altitude  for  practice.  He 
observed  altitude  was  70°  54'  40"  at  one-and-half  miles 
distant,  height  of  eye  five  feet.    Index  error  to  add  3'  15". 

Mai/  2'2ii(/. — ^Nsabe'  C*amp. 

The  steamers  KIwiUcc  and  Xi/anca,  the  latter  towing 
a  lighter,  appeared  to-day  ahout  1)  A.M.,  bringing  80 
soldiers,  with  the  jNlajor  and  Adjutant  of  the  2nd 
Battalion,  and  130  carriers  of  the  I\Iadi  tribe.  We 
received  gifts  of  raki  (ten-gallon  demijohn,  a  kind  of 
Russian  vodka,  from  the  Pasha's  distillery,  pome- 
granates, oranges,  water-melons,  and  more  onions,  be- 
sides six  sheep,  four  goats,  and  a  (•ou})le  of  strong 
donkeys,  one  for  myself  and  «me  for  Doctor  Parke). 
The  N>i(inz(i  steamer  is  about  GO  feet  by  12.  1  propose 
leaving  the  Albert  Lake  for  my  journey  in  search  of 
the  rear  colunm  of  the  Expedition  the  day  after  to- 
morrow. 

I  leave  with  the  Pasha,  Mr.  Mounteney  Jephson, 
three  Souchmese  soldiers,  and  IMnza.  Doctor  Junker's 
boy,  besides  the  unhap})y  Mabruki.  Of  the  baggage  we 
carried  here,  exclusive  of  thirty-one  cases  Remingtons 
already  delivered,  1  leave  two  boxes  Winchesters,  one 
box  of  brass  rods,  lamj),  and  sounding  iron  ;  also  my 
steel  boat,  .Idnincc,  with  her  e(|uipnients. 

In  a<cor«lance  with  the  re(|uest  of  the  Pasha,  I  have 
drawn  up  a  message,  which  Mr.  Jephson  will  read  to  the 
troops.     It  is  as  follows  : — 

SoLDiKUS, — After  iiiiiny  iiiniitlis  of  li,'ir<l  travol,  T  liavc  at  last  roaclK'd  tlio 
Nyanza.  I  liav(>0()iiu'  ('xprcssly  at  tlic  ('oiimiaiid  of  tlic  FvlicdivcTcwtik,  to 
load  you  out  of  here  and  sliow  you  tlie  way  lioiiie.  For  you  must  know 
tliat  the  t?iver  el  Ahiad  is  closed,  that  KliartoiiiM  is  in  the  hands  of  the 
followers  of  ]\rohanied  Achniet,  that  the  I'aslia  (Jordon  and  all  his  (leojilo 
wen!  killed,  and  that  all  the  stoamers  and  hoats  between  Berher  and  the 
Bahr  (Jliazal  have  been  takfMi.  and  that  the  ncirest  K}.'y|)tian  station  to 
you  is  Wady  Haifa,  lielow  Doiijiidla.  Four  times  th<'  Kliedive  and  your 
fri(  lids  have  made  atteniiits  to  save  you.  First,  (iordon  I'aslia  was  sent 
to  Khartoum  to  lirin^^  you  all  home.     Afti'r  ten  months  of  hard  ligiitiiifj; 


ill  I 


1888. 
Wiiy  22. 

^Isabe. 


i 


428 


IN  DAB  REST  AFBICA. 


Khartoum  was  taken,  and  Gordon  Paslia  was  killed,  he  and  his  soldiers. 
Next  came  the  English  soldiers  under  Lord  Wolseley  to  try  and  hel]> 
Gordon  Pasha  out  of  his  troubles.  They  were  four  days  too  late,  for 
they  found  Gordon  was  dead  and  Khartoum  was  lost.  'J'lien  a  Doctor 
I.enz,  a  great  traveller,  was  sent  by  way  of  the  Congo  to  find  out  how 
you  could  be  assi.sted.  But  Lenz  could  not  find  men  enough  to  go  with 
him,  and  so  he  was  obliged  to  go  home.  Also  a  J)octor  Fischer  was  sent 
by  Doctor  Junker's  brother,  but  there  wei-e  too  many  enemies  in  the 
l)ath,  and  he  also  returned  home.  I  tell  you  these  things  to  j)rove  to 
you  that  you  have  no  right  to  think  that  you  have  been  forgotten  in 
Egypt.  No,  the  Khedive  and  his  Wazir,  Nubar  Pasha,  have  all  along 
kept  you  in  mind.  They  have  heard  by  way  of  Uganda  how  bravely 
you  have  held  to  your  ])ost,  and  how  stanch  you  have  been  to  your 
duties  as  soldiers.  Therefore  they  sent  me  to  tell  you  this ;  to  tell  you  that 
you  are  well  remembered,  and  that  your  reward  is  waiting  for  you,  but  that 
yoii  must  follow  me  to  l^gypt  to  get  your  ])ay  and  your  reward.  At  the 
same  time  the  Khedive  says  to  you,  through  me,  that  if  you  ttiink  the 
road  too  long,  and  ai'e  afraid  of  the  journey,  that  you  may  stay  her(>, 
but  in  that  case  you  are  no  longer  his  soldiers;  that  your  ])ay  stops  at 
orce;  and  in  any  trouble  that  may  hereafter  befall  you,  you  are  not  to 
blame  him,  but  yourselves.  Should  you  decide  to  go  to  Egy})t,  I  am  to 
show  you  the  way  to  Zanzibar,  i)ut  you  on  board  a  steamer  and  take 
you  to  Suez,  and  thence  to  Cairo,  and  that  you  will  get  your  pny  until 
you  arrive  there,  and  that  all  promotions  given  you  will  be  secured,  and 
all  rewards  ju'omiscd  you  here  will  be  paid  in  full. 

I  send  you  one  of  my  officers,  Mr.  Jephson,  and  give  him  my  sword, 
to  read  this  message  to  you  from  me.  I  go  back  to  collei^t  my  ])eopl(^ 
and  goods,  and  bring  them  on  to  the  Nyanza,  and  after  a  few  months  1 
shall  come  hack  here  to  hear  what  you  have  to  say.  If  you  say.  Let  us 
go  to  Egypt,  I  will  then  show  you  a  safe  road.  If  you  say,  We  slniU  not 
leave  this  country,  then  I  will  bid  you  farewell  and  return  to  Egypt  with 
my  own  p(>oplo. 

May  God  have  you  in  His  keeping. 

Your  good  friend. 

(Signcii  I     Stam.kv. 

Mai/  23rJ.— ILilt. 

The  Zanzibaris  entertained  the  Paslia  and  liis  otHcers 
to-night  with  a  fa ve well  dance.  Thouo;h  they  are  quite 
well  aware  of  the  dangers  and  fatigue  of  the  journey 
befoie  them,  which  will  commence  to-morrow,  there  are 
no  symptcmis  of  misgiving  in  any  of  them.  But  it  is 
certhin  that  some  of  them  will  take  their  last  look  of  the 
Pasha  to-morrow. 

J/r///  24M. — Marc^h  to  Badzwa  village,  10  miles  ;  per- 
formed it  in  4  hours. 

Emiu  Pasha  marched  a  company  along  our  new  road 
at  dawn  this  morning,  and  halted  it  about  two  miles 
from  the  Lake.  Ilavino-  arranoed  the  Madi  carrier;', 
in  their  place  in  the  column,  the  advance  guard  issued 
out  from  camp  and  took  the  road  towards  the  west  at 


MESSAGE   TO    THE  EGYPTIAN   TliOOPS. 


429 


0.15    A.M.       In    half-an-hoiir    we    foinid    the    Paslius     lass. 
Soudanese  drawn   up  in  line  on  one  side  of  the  road    *'"^  "■^• 
Tliey  saluted  us  as  we  passed  on,  and  the  Pasha  fer- 
vently thanked  us  and  bade  us  good-bye. 

At  the  end  of  the  new  road  twenty-one  of  the  Madis 
broke  from  the  line  of  the  column  and  disappeared 
towards  the  north  rapidly.  Fourteen  men  were  sent 
back  to  inform  the  Pasha,  while  we  held  on  our  way  to 
IJadzwa.  About  a  mile  from  the  villai>;e  there  was 
another  stampede,  and  eighty-nine  Madis  deserted  in  a 
l)ody,  but  not  without  sending  a  shower  <jf  arrows 
among  the  rear  guard.  The  doctor,  believing  that  this 
was  preliminary  to  an  attack  f)n  his  small  detachment, 
fired  his  rifle,  and  dropped  a  Madi  dead,  wliich  precipi- 
tated the  flight  of  the  deserters.  The  remaining  nine- 
teen  out  of  the  130  were  secured. 

A  second  message  was  therefore  sent  to  the  Pasha 
accjuainting  him  with  the  events  of  the  march. 

When  about  five  miles  from  Nsabe  Camp,  while 
looking  to  the  south-east,  and  meditating  upon  the 
events  of  the  last  month,  my  eyes  were  directed  by  a 
boy  to  a  mountain  said  to  be  covered  with  salt,  and  I 
saw  a  pe(^uliar  shaped  (doud  of  a  most  beautiful  silver 
colour,  which  assumed  the  proportions  and  appearance  of 
a  vast  mountain  covered  with  snow.  Following  its  form 
downward,  I  became  struck  with  the  deep  bUie-lilack 
colour  of  its  base,  and  wondered  if  it  portended  another 
tornado  ;  then  as  the  sight  descended  to  the  gap  between 
the  eastern  and  western  plateaus,  I  became  for  the  first 
time  conscious  that  what  I  gazed  upon  was  not  the 
image  or  semblance  of  a  vast  mountain,  but  tlie  solid  sub- 
stan(;e  of  a  real  one,  with  its  summit  <'overed  with  snow. 
I  ordered  a  halt  and  examined  it  carefully  with  a  field- 
glass,  then  took  a  compass  bearing  of  the  centre  of  it, 
and  found  it  bear  215°  magnetic.  It  now  dawned  upon 
me  that  this  must  be  the  Ruwenzori,  which  was  said  to 
be  covered  witli  a  white  metal  or  s  ibstance  believed  to 
be  rock,  as  reported  by  Kavalli's  two  slaves. 

This  great  mountain  continued  to  be  in  sight  most 
distinctly    for    two  hours,  but   as  we    drew  nearer    to 


480 


IN  DAPKEST  AFRICA. 


m 


til 


tijiii 

i 
! 

n 

f  1 

fW'  W 

^*  ffl    '^ 

i 

jii  1 

1888. 
May  -24. 

Badzwa. 


:l'! 


Badzwa  at  the  foot  of  the  plateau,  the  h)fty  wall  of  the 
plateau  hid  it  from  view. 

This  discovery  was  announced  to  the  Pasha  in  the 
second  message  I  sent.  When  1  come  to  reflect  upon 
it,  it  strikes  me  as  singular  that  neither  Baker,  Gessi, 
Mason,  or  Emin  Pasha  discovered  it  long  ago. 

Gessi  Pasha  first  circumnavigated  the  Albert  Lake, 
steaming  alono;  the  western  shore  towards  the  south, 
roundinfi^  the  southern  end  of  the  lake  and  continuinu' 
his  voyage  along  the  eastern  shore. 

Mason  Bey,  in  1877,  is  the  next  visitor,  and  he 
follows  the  track  of  (^essi  with  a  view  of  fixing  positions 
by  astronomical  observations,  which  his  predecessor  was 
unable  to  do. 

Emin  Pasha,  eleven  years  later,  comes  steaming  south 
in  (|uest  of  news  of  the  white  men  reported  to  be  at 
the  south  end  of  the  Lake. 

If  a  fair  view  of  this  snowy  mountain  can  be  obtained 
from  the  plain  of  the  Nyanza,  a  much  better  view  ought 
to  be  obtained  from  the  Lake,  and  the  wonder  is  that 
none  of  these  gentlemen  saw  it.  Whereas  Baker,  cast- 
ing his  eyes  in  its  direction,  on  a  "  beautifully  clear  day," 
views  only  an  illimitable  Lake. 

Messrs.  Jephson  and  Parke,  while  carrying  the  boat 
from  Kavalli's  to  the  Lake,  report  that  they  saw  snow 
on  a  mountain,  and  the  latter  officer,  pointing  to  the 
little  range  of  Unya-Kavalli,  in(|uired  of  me  on  his 
return  if  it  was  possilde  that  snow  would  be  found  on 
suc'h  hills.  As  their  highest  peak  cannot  be  5,500  feet 
above  the  sea,  I  replied  in  the  negative,  l)ut  the 
doctor  said  that  he  was  eipially  certain  that  he  had 
seen  snow.  1  explained  to  him  then  that  a  certain 
altitude  of  about  15,000  feet  in  the  Eijuatorial  regi(ms 
is  recjuired  before  rain  can  be  congealed  into  permanent 
snow ;  that  there  might  be  a  hail-storm  or  a  fall  of 
snow,  caused  l)y  a  cold  current,  even  on  low  altitudes  in 
a  tropic  region,  but  such  cold  w'ould  only  be  temporary, 
and  the  heat  of  tropic  waters  or  tropic  soil  would  in  a 
few  moments  cause  the  hail  and  snow  to  disappear. 
Standing  as  we  were  in  camp  at  Bundi,  on  the  crest  of 


FIR^T  SIGHT  OF  RUWENZORT. 


4;u 


l  the  boat 


the  phiteau,  in  phvirr  view  of  Unyn  Kavalli  and  other 
hills,  there  wa»s  no  height  vi.sihle  anywhere  al)ove  GOOO 
feet  of  an  altitude  above  the  sea. 

Considering  the  above  faets,  it  will  be  evident  that  it 
requires  a  peculiar  condition  of  the  atmosphere  to  enable 
one  to  see  the  mountain  from  a  distance  of  70  miles, 
which  I  estimate  it  at.  Near  ()l)jects,  or  those  10,  15, 
or  20  miles,  an  ordinarily  clear  atmosphere  may  enable 
us  to  distinguish  ;  but  in  sucii  a  humid  region  as  this 
is,  on  a  bright  day  such  a  quantity  of  vapour  is  exhaled 
from  the  heated  earth,  that  at  .SO  miles  it  would  be 
intensified  into  a  haze  which  no  eyesight  could  pene- 
trate. But  at  certain  times  wind-currents  clear  the 
haze,  and  expose  to  the  view  objects  which  we  wonder 
we  have  not  seen  before.  As,  for  instance,  in  Decend)cr 
last,  returning  frcmi  Nyanza  to  Fort  Bodo,  I  took  com- 
[)ass  l)earings  of  a  lofty  twin-peak  mountain  from  a 
tal)le  hill  near  the  East  Ituri  lliver.  I  noted  it  down 
that  the  twin-peak  mass  was  already  seen,  awO  "•  Dointed 
it  out  to  Mr.  Jephson.  Strange  to  say,  I  have  never 
seen  it  since,  though  1  have  l)e3n  twice  over  the  ground. 

Kavalli  passed  our  camp  this  afternoon  with  400  men 
to  assist  Emin  Pasha  in  a  demonstration  he  pr(»poses  to 
make  against  Kab])a  Rega.  Katonza  and  Mpigwa  of 
Nyamsassi  will  also,  perhaps,  lend  an  ecjual  nund)er  to 
his  assistance. 

I  received  the  following  letters  to-day  from  the 
Pasha.  When  he  talks  of  pride  and  joy  at  being  in  our 
company,  1  think  we  are  all  unanimous  in  ])elieving 
tliat  lie  has  given  us  as  nmch  pleasure  as  we  have 
given  him. 

Nsabo  Ciuii]), 
25//t  May,  1888,  5  a.m. 
Ukau  Siu, 

I  should  not  need  to  tell  you  liow  distrcs.sed  I  have  been  when 
I  heard  of  the  misfortune  ha|)i)eii('d  Ity  the  desertion  of  our  Madi  i)eo))le. 
1  at  once  sent  out  different  seurehinj;-  parties,  but  I  am  sorry  to  state  tiiat 
up  to  noon  their  efforts  were  of  no  avail,  althouj^^h  Shukri  A{i;ha  and 
his  ])arty,  who  went  yest(U'day  to  Kahanania,  have  not  returned. 

By  a  mere  chance  it  ha))))eiied  that  when  Dr.  Parke*  came  a  boat  from 
iMswa  station  had  arrived,  l)rinij,in|:;  me  int(!llip;enceof  the  arrival  there  of 
120  porters  from  Duffle.  1  therefore  started  inunediateiy  the  K/wdive 
steamer  to  brinfj;  them  here,  and  expect  her  back  this  very  night,  when, 


1888. 
May  24. 

liadzwa. 


432 


7.V  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


1H88. 
May  '24. 

Badzwa. 


■"■■      'Iv    .    I 


■    I' 


at  licr  arrival,  I  shall  start  the  whole  gang,  accompanied  by  a  detachment 
of  my  people. 

Allow  nio  to  be  the  first  to  congratulate  you  on  your  most  splendid 
discovery  of  a  snow-clad  mountain.  We  will  take  it  as  a  good  omen  for 
further  directions  on  our  road  to  Victoria.*  I  propose  to  go  out  on  your 
track  to-day  or  to-morrow,  just  to  have  a  look  at  this  giant. 

In  exp(!ctance  of  two  words  of  you  this  morning  I  venture  to  offer  you 
my  best  wishes  for  the  future.  1  always  shall  renuanber  with  pride  and 
joy  the  few  days  I  was  i)ermitted  to  consort  with  you. 

Relieve  me,  dear  Sir, 

Yours  very  sincerely, 

(Signed)        Dr.  M.  Emin. 

Nsabe  Camp, 
26<A  iJ/ay,  1888,  2  80  a.m. 

Dear  Sib, 

Your  very  welcome  and  most  interesting  note  of  yesterday  has 
reached  me  at  the  hands  of  your  men.  The  steamer  has  c(>nie  in  this 
very  instant,  but  she  l)ronght  only  eighty-two  carriers,  the  rest  having 
run  away  on  the  rosd  between  Tiinguru  and  Mswa.  I  send,  therefore, 
these  few  men,  accompanied  by  twenty-five  soldiers  and  an  officer,  hoping 
they  may  be  of  some  use  to  you.  Tlieir  arms  having  been  collecte<l  1 
handed  them  to  the  officer,  from  wiiom  you  will  kindly  rec(!ive  them. 
We  heard  yestei'df.y  evening  that  y(mr  runaways  had  worked  their  way 
to  Muganga,  telling  the  people  they  were  sent  by  me. 

The  ten  men  you  kindly  sent  here  accompanying  the  carriers  as  well 
as  Kavalli  and  his  men.  Having  caught  yesterday  a  spy  of  l{avidongo  t 
in  Katonza's  Camp,  I  told  this  latter  he  would  better  retire,  and  he  acted 
on  this  advice.  I  have  ac(piainted  Kavalli  with  my  reasons  for  not 
interfering  just  now  with  Eavidongo,  and  have  asked  him  to  return  to 
you.  He  readily  assented  ;  he  had  some  presents,  and  starts  now  witli 
the  courier.  He  entreats  me,  further,  to  beg  you  to  send  some  of  your 
•men  to  take  liold  of  his  brother  Kadongo,  who  stays,  says  he,  with  the 
Wawitn  somewhere  near  to  his  residence. 

I  shall  try  hard  to  get  a  glim])se  of  the  new  snow  mountain,  as  well 
from  here  as  from  some  other  points  I  propose  to  visit.  It  is  wonderful 
to  think  how,  wherever  you  go,  you  distance  your  predecessors  by  your 
discoveries. 

And  now  as  this,  for  some  time  at  least,  is  probably  the  last  word  1 
will  be  al)le  to  address  you,  let  me  another  time  thank  you  for  the 
generous  exertions  you  have  made,  and  you  are  to  make  for  us.  Let  me 
another  time  thank  you  for  the  kindness  and  forbearance  you  have  shown 
me  in  our  mutual  relations.  If  I  cannot  find  adeqiiate  words  to  express 
what  moves  me  in  this  instant  you  will  forgive  me.  I  lived  too  long  in 
Africa  for  not  becoming  somewhat  negrofied. 

God  speed  you  on  your  cour.se  and  bless  your  work! 

Yours  very  faithfully, 

(Signed)        Dr.  Emin. 


May  25th  and  2G?//. — Halt  ut  Badzwa. 
The   Pasha   has   abandoned    his   idea   of    makins'"   a 
demonstration  ao;iunst  CJnyoro,  and  his  allies,  who  have 

*  It  is  clear  that  he  was  smitten  with  the  Victoria  Lake  proposition. 
t  Bavidongo,  one  of  the  principal  generals  of  Kabba  Kega. 


idiJilM 


TWO  LETTERS   FliOM  EM IX   VASIIA. 


438 


\j  ii  detachment 


)b.  M.  Emin. 


much  to  avenge,  have  been  (juickly  dismissed  home- 
ward. 

In  the  afternoon  Balegga  descended  from  Bundi  Hill 
Village,  and  secretly  informt  us  that  Kadongo  and 
Musiri — the  latter  a  warlike  H.id  powerful  chief — have 
banded  their  forces  together  and  intend  to  attack  us  on 
the  road  ])etween  Gavira's  and  Mazamboni's,  We  have 
given  neither  of  them  any  cause  for  this  (juarrel,  unless 
our  friendship  with  their  rivals  maybe  deemed  sutHcient 
and  legitimate.  I  have  only  111  riHes  and  ten  rounds 
of  ammunition  for  each  ritie,  to  reach  Fort  Bodo,  125 
miles  distant.  If  any  determined  attack  is  made  on  us 
in  the  opr^^  country,  a  few  mcmients'  tiring  will  make  us 
helpless.  T  3refore  I  shall  have  to  resort  to  other 
measure  ]l  was  held  hy  Thomas  Carlyle  that  it  was 
the  highe.it  wisdom  to  know  and  l)elieve  that  the  stern 
thing  w^hi^h  necessity  ordered  to  be  done  was  the  wisest, 
the  b'^st,  and  the  only  thing  wanted  there.  I  will 
attacl^  Kadongo  first,  and  then  march  straight  upon 
JMusiri,  and  we  will  spend  our  last  shots  well,  if  necessary. 
It  may  be  this  bold  movement  will  upset  the  c(mibi- 
nation. 

The  Pasha  has  acted  quickly.  Eighty-two  fresh 
carriers  arrived  at  noon,  under  a  strong  guard,  an<l  three 
soldiers  specially  detailed  to  accompany  me.  On  their 
delivery  to  us,  each  Zanzibari  received  a  j\ladi  to  guard. 

At  half-past  three  in  the  afternoon  we  commenced 
the  steep  ascent  up  the  terrible  slope  of  the  plateau, 
with  a  V)urning  sun  in  our  front,  and  reached  the  crest 
at  Bundi  camp  at  G.30  p.m.,  a  half-hour  after  sunset. 

After  placing  strong  guards  round  the  camp,  I 
selected  a  band  of  forty  rifles  of  the  choictest  men  under 
two  Zanzibari  chiefs,  and  prepared  them  for  a  surprise 
party  to  attack  Kadongo's  camp  by  night.  A  few  of 
our  native  allies  volunteered  to  show  the  hill  village  he 
was  occupying. 

At  1  A.M.  the  party  w^as  despatched. 

Maj/  27th. — At  8  a.m.  the  party  detailed  against 
Kadonoo  returned,  havinij;  effected  their  mission  most 
successfully,  but  Kadongo  himself  escaped    by  crying 

VOL.    I.  CO 


1888. 
May  29, 

Buadi. 


:lti  !'S 


i4l 


434 


IN   DARKEST  AFRICA. 


I"    '9, 


I  ■' 


ill 


it 


I 


li'    ;  I 


if 


I 


III 


t 


•i;r 


iimi 


\ 

■     t 

! 

14,     ^ 

!      ' 

1888. 
May  27. 


out  that  lie  was  a  friend  of  "  Biila  Matari."  No  cattle 
or  <i'oats  were  taken,  Ijecaiise  the  ])hiee  was  only  oe(  u- 
pied  hy  Kadongo's  hand  for  temporary  purposes. 

We  then  lifted  our  l)urdens  and  hegan  our  march 
towards  (javira's.  We  had  barely  started  when  wc 
discovered  a  laroe  hand  of  men  advancing  towards 
us,  preceded  by  a  man  bearing  a  crimson  flag,  which  at 
a  distance  might  be  taken  for  that  of  Zanzil)ar  or  Egypt. 
AVe  halted,  won(h'ring  what  party  this  might  be,  but 
ill  a  few  mcmients  we  recognised  Katto,  ■\Iazand)()ni's 
brother,  who  had  been  sent  l)y  his  chief  to  greet  us  and 
learn  our  movements.  We  admired  the  aptness  of 
these  people  in  so  soon  learning  to  follow  the  direction 
given  to  them,  for  had  not  the  Hag  held  us  in  suspense. 
we  might  have  injured  our  friends  by  taking  them  for 
the  van  of  JMusiri's  w\ir-party. 

Retaining  a  few  of  them  to  follow  us,  I  ordered 
Katto  to  return  cjuickh'^  to  Mazam])oni,  his  brother, 
and  secretly  inform  him  that  as  Musiri  intended  to 
attack  us  on  the  road,  I  intended  to  attack  him  at  dawn 
the  day  after  to-morrow,  and  that  I  expected  from 
Mazamboni,  as  my  ally,  that  he  would  bring  as  many 
men  as  he  could  sometime  that  next  day.  Katto 
declared  the  thing  possible,  though  it  was  a  short 
notice  for  the  distance  to  be  travelled.  We  were  at 
the  time  six  miles  from  Gavira's,  thence  to  JVIazamboni's 
village  was  thirteen  miles,  and  back  again  to  Gavira's 
would  be  another  thirteen  miles,  and  in  the  meantime 
some  delay  would  Ije  necessary  to  secretly  muster  a 
sufficient  Ijody  of  warriors  becoming  Mazamboni's  rank, 
and  prepare  rations  for  a  few  days. 

We  arrived  at  Gavira's  a])out  noon.  Here  I  pro- 
posed to  Gavira  to  join  me  in  the  attack,  wdiich  the 
chief  as  readily  promised. 

^faJ^/  28///. — Halt.  We  have  received  abundant  con- 
tributions of  food  for  our  force,  which  numbers  now  1 1 1 
Zanzibaris,  3  whites,  (i  cooks  and  boys,  101  Madis,  and 
3  soldiers  belonging  to  the  Pasha — total  224,  exclusive 
of  a  few  dozen  natives  who  voluntarily  follow  us. 

An  hour  after  sunset  Mazamboni  arrived  in  person 


Musinrs  vA.yr  deseiited. 


486 


111  suspense. 


witli  nltout  1000  wurriors  arriuMl  with  hows  and  spears. 
Ilis  force  was  camped  in  the  potato  fields  l)etweeii 
(Javira's  and  Musiri's  district. 

Mdjl  'l\)tli. — At  three  o'clock  a.m.  we  set  out  for  Usiri 
on  a  N.W.  road,  a  l)rioht  moon  li_i;htiii,n'  the  way. 
Al>out  100  of  the  l)ol<lest  of  Mazamitoni's  cor})s  preceded 


1S88. 
May  'J'J. 

llsiri. 


our  force.  The  others  fell  in  line  hehind.  and  (Javira's 
tril)e,  represented  ])y  al>out  ,500  men.  hrou^ht  up  the 
rear.      A  deep  silence,  Itetittinn'  our  pur[)ose,  pivvailed. 

At  6  A.M.  we  reached  the  outskirts  of  Llsiri,  and  in  a 
few  moments,  each  chief  havin^'  received  his  instruc- 
tions, Dr.  Parke,  in  char«;e  of  sixty  riHes  to  keep  the 
centre,  Katto,  in  charge  of  his  brother's  wari'iors  to  form 
the  left  wing,  and  Alpin^i^a  and  (Javira  with  his  men  to 
foi-m  the  right,  the  attacking  force  moved  on  swiftly. 

The  results  were  ludicrous  in  the  extreme.  Mpinga's 
Walmnia  herdsmen  had  given  notice  to  JVlusiri's 
Wahuma  herdsmen,  and  ^Iazaml)oni's  Wahuma  had  ])eeii 
just  as  communicative  to  their  fellow-countrymen  wi^ll 
the  enemy.  CVmse(|uently  the  herdsmen  luul  driven 
all  the  herds  from  Usiri  hy  other  roads  ;  a  half  of  them 
arrived  at  Gavira's,  and  the  other  half  at  jVrazaniboni's, 
just  at  the  same  morning  when  the  attacking  force 
poured  over  the  land  of  Usiri.  and  M usiri,  the  chief, 
after  hearing  of  the  disaster  to  Ka(h)n<''o,  and  of  the 
mighty  army  to  be  l)rought  against  him,  took  tender 
care  that  not  one  soul  under  his  sway  should  l)e 
injured.  The  land  was  <pute  empty  of  people,  herds, 
flocks,  and  fowls,  but  the  granaries  were  heaped  full  of 
grain,  the  fields  exhibited  abuiuhmt  crops  of  potatoes, 
])eans,  yo-ng  Indian  corn,  vegetal  ties,  and  toljacco.  I 
am  secretly  glad  of  the  l)loodless  teri)iination  of  the 
aflair.  My  object  has  been  gained.  We  have  saved 
our  extremely  scanty  supply  of  ammunition,  aiul  the 
road  is  clear  frcmi  further  trouble.  jVlazam})oni  and 
Gavira,  I  believe,  were  also  delighted,  though  they 
expressed  themselves  mortified. 

In  one  of  the  huts  was  discovered  the  barrel  of  a 
carbine  and  percussion  lock  The  latter  bore  the  Ijrand 
of  "John   Clive  III.,  530."     This  is  a  relic  of  Kabba 


ili: 


I 


m 


I 


miM 


Ml 


3 


1888. 
Mny  2$). 

Uairt. 


48H 


JN  DAltKKST  AFRICA. 


Rega's  visit,  whose  men  were  sadly  dcfeatod  })y  Musiri 
about  a  year  a<>'o. 

Ill  the  afternoon  j\lazaiiil)oiii's  warriors,  1000  strong-, 
joined  to  eelehrate  the  hloodh'ss  victory  over  Musiri  in 
a  plialanx  (hmee.  Dancing  in  Africa  mainly  consists  (»f 
rude  hutfoonery,  extravagant  "gestures,  leapin*;"  and 
contortions  of  the  liody,  wliile  one  or  many  drums  keej) 
time.  Tliere  is  always  al)uii(hince  of  noise  and  loud 
laughter,  and  it  serves  the  j)ur})ose  of  furnishing;'  amuse- 
ment to  the  barharians,  as  the  dervish-like  whirlin^t;'  and 
pirouetting;  jj^ive  to  civilised  people.  Often  two  men 
step  out  of  a  semicircle  of  their  fellow  villa^i^ers,  and 
(ihaiit  a  duet  to  the  sound  of  a  drum  or  a  horn  amid 
universal  clapping  of  hands,  or  one  performs  a  solo 
while  dressed  most  fantastically  in  cocks'  feathers,  strings 
of  rattling  gourds,  small  globular  bells,  and  heaps  of 
liuman,  monkey,  and  crocodile  teeth,  which  are  the 
African  jewels  ;  but  there  must  always  be  a  chorus,  the 
grander  the  lietter,  and  when  the  men,  women,  and 
children  lift  their  voices  high  above  the  (b'ums,  and  the 
■chatter  and  murmur  of  the  crowd,  1  must  confess  to  having 
;enjoyed  it  immensely,  especially  when  the  Wanyamwezi 
•iire  the  performers,  who  are  by  far  the  l)est  singers  on 
the  African  continent.  The  Zanzibaris,  Zulus,  Waiau, 
Wasegara,  Waseguhha,  and  Wan^iiKh)  are  in  the  main 
very  niu(;h  alike  in  method  and  execution,  though  they 
have  each  minor  dances  and  songs,  which  varv  con- 
aiderably,  but  they  are  either  dreadfully  melancholiac  or 
stupidly  barbarous.  The  Wasoga,  Waganchi,  Wakerewe, 
Wazongora,  around  Lake  Victoria,  are  more  subdued,  a 
crude  bardic,  with  something  of  the  whine  of  the  Orient — 
Mustapha,  or  Hussein,  or  Hassan,  moaning  ^elow  lattices 
to  the  obdurate  Fatima  or  stony-eared  Roxaua.  Except 
the  Wanvamwezi,  I  have  not  heard  anv  music  or  seen 
any  dance  which  would  have  pleased  an  Englisli 
audience  accustomed  to  the  plantation  dances  repre- 
sented in  a  certain  hall  in  Piccadilly  until  this  day,  when 
the  Bandussuma,  under  Katto,  the  brother  of  Mazamboni, 
led  the  chief  warriors  lo  the  phalanx  dance  Half  a 
score  of  drums,  large  and  small,  had  been  beaten   by 


A    J'ni.AXX    DASCE. 


437 


Ubiri. 


lialf  }i  score  <»f  accomplislied  perfornuM's,  koepin<r  issa 
adiuiraltk'  time,  mikI  emitting'  a  pt'itoct  volmne  of  s(mn(l  ^'"y '-^'^ 
wliicli  must  have  Iteen  licard  tar  awav  for  luilos,  and  in 
rlic  UR'antinu'  Katto,  and  liis  cousin  Kak'nue,  adoi'nc*! 
with  <;lorious  tufts  of  white  cocks'  fcathci's,  were 
an-anjiiuii"  thirtv-tliree  lines  of  thirtv-three  men  ea<'ii  as 
nearly  as  possible  in  the  form  of  a  perfe<-t  and  solid  and 
close  s(|uare.  Most  of  these  men  had  hut  one  spear  each, 
others  possessed  two  besides  their  shields  and  <juivers, 
wliich  were  suspended  from  the  neck  down  the  ]>ack. 

The  phalanx  stood  still  with  spears  nroundcd  until,  at 
a  sional  from  the  drums,  Katto's  deep  voice  was  heard 
Wreaking  out  into  a  wild  triumj)hant  sono-  or  chant,  and 
at  a  particular  uplift  of  note  raised  his  spear,  and  at 
once  rose  a  forest  of  spears  hioli  ahove  their  heads,  and 
a  mi<Jihty  chorus  of  voices  responded,  and  the  phalanx 
was  seen  to  move  forward,  and  the  eai'th  around  my 
chair,  which  was  at  a  distance  of  fifty  yards  from  the 
foremost  line,  shook  as  though  there  was  an  earth(|uake. 
1  looked  at  the  feet  of  the  men  and  discovered  that 
each  man  was  forcefully  stamping  the  ground,  and 
taking  forward  steps  not  more  than  six  inches  long, 
and  it  was  in  this  manner  that  the  phalanx  moved 
slowly  l)ut  irresistihlv.  The  voices  rose  and  fell  in 
sweeping  waves  of  vocal  sound,  the  forest  of  spears  rose 
and  sul)sided,  with  countless  flashes  of  polished  ii'on 
1  (lades  as  thev  were  tossed  aloft  and  lowered  auain  to 
the  hoarse  and  exciting  thunder  of  the  drums.  There 
was  accuracy  of  cadence  of  voice  and  roar  of  drum, 
tliere  was  uniform  uplift  and  subsidence  of  the  constantly 
twirling  spear  blades,  there  was  a  simultaneous  action 
of  the  bodies,  and  as  they  brought  the  ti'emendous 
weight  of  seventy  tons  of  flesh  with  one  regular  stamp 
of  the  feet  (m  the  ground,  the  firm  and  liard  earth 
echoed  the  sound  round  about  tremulously.  With  all 
these  the  thousand  heads  rose  and  drooped  together, 
lising  when  venting  th  glorious  volume  of  energy, 
drooping  wiih  the  unde  -ne  of  wailing  murnuir  of  the 
multitude.  As  thev  shouted  with  faces  turned  upward 
and  lieads  bent  back  to   irive  the  fullest  effect   to  the 


■  JJ'  -^  —   ' 


488 


IN  DARKEST  AFBICA. 


i    i 


1888.  asceiulino;  tempest  of  vcnces,  su<Tjojestive  of  ([ueiieliless 
May  29.  f^y^  wivitli  uiul  extei'iiiiuatiiig  war,  it  appeared  to  inflate 
every  soul  witli  the  passion  of  deadly  ))attle  and  every 
eye  of  the  oidookers  glowed  luridly,  and  their  right 
arms  with  clenched  fists  were  shaken  on  high  as  though 
their  spirits  were  thrilled  with  the  martial  strains  ;  but 
as  the  heads  were  turned  and  howed  to  the  earth  we 
seemed  to  feel  war's  agony,  and  grief,  and  woe,  to  think 
of  tears,  and  widows'  wails,  and  fatherle.ss  orphans' 
cries,  of  ruined  hearths  and  a  desolated  land.  I^ut 
again  as  the  mass,  still  steadily  drawing  nearer,  tossed 
their  heads  backward,  and  the  bristling  blades  Hashed 
and  clashed,  and  the  feathers  streamed  and  gaily 
rustled,  tliei'e  was  a  loud  snort  of  defiance  and  such  an 
exulting  and  energising  storm  of  sound  that  man  saw 
oidy  the  gloiious  coh)urs  of  victory  and  felt  only  the 
proud  ])ulses  of  triumph. 

Right  up  to  my  chair  the  gi'eat  solid  mass  of  wildly 
chanting  natives  advanced,  and  the  front  line  lowered 
their  S2)enrs  in  an  even  line  of  bright  iron  ;  thrice  they 
dr()pj)e(l  their  salute  and  thrice  they  rose,  and  then  the 
lines,  one  after  another,  broke  into  a  run,  spears 
clenched  in  the  act  of  throwing,  staffs  (piivering,  war- 
whoops  ringing  shriilv.  The  excitement  was  intensified 
until  the  s(|uare  had  been  transformed  into  wheelinu 
circh's  three  deep,  and  after  three  ciivjings  round  the 
open  plaza,  Prince  Katto  took  his  position,  and  round 
him  the  I'acing  men  coiled  themselves  until  soon  they 
were  in  a  solid  circle.  When  this  was  completed  the 
S(]uar('  was  formed,  it  was  divided  into  halves,  one  half 
returning  to  one  end.  the  othci-  half  to  the  other  end. 
Slill  continuing  the  wild  chant.  thc\-  Irotte*!  towai'ds 
one  another  an  1  passed  through  without  confusion, 
exchanging  sides,  and  then  once  more  in  a  i'a[)id  circling 
of  the  village  common  with  drea<lful  nestures  until  the 
eye  was  bewildered  with  the  wheeling  forms,  and  then 
everv  man  to  his  hut  to  lauuh  and  jest,  little  hee(linu'  what 
aspects  they  had  conjured  by  their  evolutions  and  chants 
within  me.  or  any  one  else.  It  was  certaiidv  one  of  the 
best  ai.d  most  exciting  exhibitions  1  had  seen  in  Africa. 


F  quenchless 
■ed  to  inflate 
le  and  every 

their  rij^ht 
;h  iis  though 

strains  ;  l)ut 
:he  earth  we 
voe,  to  think 
ess  orphans' 
hind.  I^ut 
learei',  tossed 
hides  flash  e<  I 
I    and    i>ailv 

an<l  such  an 
lat  man  saw 
:elt  only  the 

lass  of  wildly 
line  lowered 
;  thrice  they 
and  then  the 
run,    spears 
ivering,  war- 
is  intensitied 
to    wheeling 
s  round  the 
arid  rouml 
il   soon  they 
mpleted  the 
ves,  one  halt 
e  other  end. 
te(l    towards 
t    confusion. 
api<l  circling 
cs  until   the 
us.  and  then 
leeding  whal 
s  and  eliaiits 
\-  one  of  the 
M  in  Afriea. 


A 


'^^_ertgr'irm.' 


m 


ill 


CAMP  AT  NZEBA-KUM  IJJLL. 


441 


May  30^//. — March  to  Nzera-Kum  Hill  in  Xdusuma, 
three  hours. 

We  marched  to  ^Iazani1»oiii's  countrv  to  our  old  camp 
at  Chongo,  which  name  the  Zanzihai'is  have  given  to 
the  hill  of  Nzera-Kum,  and  we  had  abundant  evidence 
that  Mazamhoni  was  deeply  implicated  in  tliC  acts  of 
the  Wahuma  herdsmen,  for  the  track  was  fresh  and 
large  of  manv  a  fiiie  herd  of  cattle.  Presentlv  we  came 
in  sight  of  the  tine  herds,  who.  all  unconscious  of 
trouble,  were  browsing  on  the  tine  pasture,  and  the 
Zanzil)aris  clamoured  loudly  for  permission  to  captui'e 
them.  For  an  instant  only  there  was  a  deep  silence, 
but  Mazand)oni,  on  l)eing  asked  the  reason  for  the 
presence  of  ^lusiri's  herds  on  his  territory,  answered  so 
straightforwardly  that  they  belonged  to  the  Wahuma 
who  had  fled  from  his  territory  last  Decendter  when  he 
was  in  trouble  with  us,  an<l  now  to  avoid  the  same 
trouble  in  Usiri  had  returned  to  their  former  })lace,  and 
he  had  not  the  heart  to  prevent  them,  that  tlic  order 
was  given  to  move  (.n. 

Mill/  31.v^. — Halt.  Mazamboni  gave  us  a  present  of 
three  beeves  and  supplied  our  people  with  two  da}'s  full 
rations  of  flour,  besides  a  large  ({uantity  of  potatoes  and 
bananas.  A  lari>e  nund»er  of  small  chiefs  fnmi  the 
surrounding  districts  paid  visits  to  us,  each  bringing 
into  camp  a  contribution  of  goats,  fowls,  and  millet 
floui'.  I'rumangwa.  P)Wessa,  and  (iunda  have  also 
made  pacts  of  friendship  with  us.  These  villages  form 
the  very  prospei'ous  and  extensively  cultivated  district 
which  so  astonished  us  by  its  abundance  one  Decend)er 
nioi'uing  last  year. 

Towards  evening  I  rcccivc(l  a  connnunication  from 
Musiri,  saying  that  as  nil  the  land  had  made  [)cace  with 
me,  he  wished  to  be  reckoned  as  my  friend,  and  that 
the  next  time  1  should  retui-n  lo  the  country  he  would 
be  ])repared  with  suitable  gifts  foi-  us. 

As  to-niorr(»\v  1  j>i'ojM»se  to  resume  the  journey 
towards  Fort  liodo  and  Yaml)uya.  let  me  set  down  wh.it 
1  have  gleane<l  from  the  I'a.sha  respecting  himself 


1R88. 
May  :iO, 

Ndusunia. 


■h^^iEHIb* 

;,-^: 

412 


IN  DARKEST  JFj!JiA. 


(1LAPTER  XVn. 

persoxa;.  to  the  pasha. 

Ago  and  early  days  of  Fniin  Pasha — Gordon  and  the  pay  of  Emin  P-xsha 
—Lost  interview  witli  (Jordon  Pa.slia  in  1 877 — Eniin's  last  supply  of 
iiinmnnition  and  i)rovisions — Five  years'  isolation — M.aokay's  library 
in  Uganda — Eniin's  altilitios  and  fitness  for  his  ])osition  —  His 
linguistic  and  other  attainments  —  Eniins  indnstry  • —  His  neat 
journals — Story  j'c!atc<l  to  me  by  Shnkri  Agha  referring  to  Eniin's 
escajie  from  Kirri  to  !\Iswa — Emin  contirnis  the  story — Some  natural 
hisiory  facts  reliit'')  to  nie  by  Emin — The  Paslia  and  the  Uinka 
tribe — A  lion  stoiy     Emin  and  "  bird  studies." 

It  is  not  my  purpose  to  iiinko  a  l)iooTaplii('al  skctfli  of 
Kiiiiu  Pasha.  !)iit  to  t'urnish  such  items  of  information 
as  he  delivered  tliem  to  me,  day  l)y  day,  eoneernin<!;  the 
life  he  has  led  in  the  Soudan,  and  his  ae<|uaintance  with 
his  illustrious  chief — the  evei'-lamented  (Gordon. 

By  birth  he  is  a  (Jerman,  hut  whether  Austrian  oi- 
Prussian  \  know  not,  and  I  have  no  .'ui'iosity  to  know 
the  name  of  the  ohseure  village  or  town  where  that 
event  happened.  He  declares  he  is  forty-eioht  yeai's 
old,  and  nnist  thei'cfore  have  heen  horn  in  the  year 
IS4().  I  fancy  that  he  must  have  been  young  when  lu; 
ai'rived  in  Constantinople,  that  some  great  man  assisted 
iiim  in  his  nu'dical  studie.-^,  that  thi'ough  the  same 
influence  ])rol)al>ly  lie  entered  the  Turkish  service,  and 
became  medical  atten<L'int  on  Isniaii  Ilakki  Pasha.  If 
for  thirt\'  vears  he  has  served  under  the  crescent  Haii'  as 
he  himself  reported,  he  nmst  have  begun  his  service  in 
Turkey  in  the  yeai'  \H^)H.  He  became  attracted  to  the 
"Young  Turk"  party,  or  to  th(>  reform  ])ai'ty,  in 
Stambonl.  It  had  an  organ,  which,  bv  its  bold 
advocacy  of  rcjbiin,  W(M   ihree   times  suppressed  by  the 


EMU 


AS/fi. 


44; 


'  of  Eniin  Pislia 
s  liist  supply  of 
Iiu'kay's  lil)rary 
l)OHitinii  —  His 
ry  —  His  iieut 
iTiiis  to  Emin's 
—Some  natunil 
and   the  Uiiika 


autlioritio 


fjoiii  the  coiuiii'v. 


Tr,   tiie  lust   .supp'T,- ■ion 


r  wa 


s  0 


xp 


A\vd 


lie  admits  that   he   was  in    ■ 'oMsr-nviiiioph'    when  tl 


le 


assassination  of  the  Sultan  .\'cinl  X/a'a  occurred,  thouuli 


1 


le  was  ahsen 


t  dur 


m; 


the  I 


oi   I  hose  susnet 


ipe( 


•ted   to  1 


concerned  in  it.  Coming  toi{l»i\pt  in  Deeeniher.  1875. 
he  entered  the  Ruyptian  serviee,  antl  was  despatched  tc 
Khartoum. 


* 


* 


* 


Otmlon  first   appointed  nu 


jis    suroeon    ar    L'2i)  a 


).-, 


mo]i 


n 


th.  Tie  then  raised  me  to  -£-^0,  and  aftei'  my 
lission  to  I  u'unda  he  snr})rised  me  with  increasinu'  m\' 
pay  to  £40,  hut  when  1  hecame  (Jovernor  of  this  j'j-o- 
vinc  mv  pay  like  other  l*rovii;ciaI  (Jovei'nors'  hecame 
i'aO  monthly.  What  the  pay  of  a  (Jeneral  i^  I  do  not 
know,  hut  then  i  am  only  a  '  M Iranian.'  a  kind  of 
civilian  Pasha,  who  reeeives  pa}'  while  emphned,  l)ut 
immediatelv  his  services  are  not  reijuired  he  hecomes 
unpaid.  I  expected  to  he  made  a  military  Pasha  — a 
(General  of  Division.  ' 


*ent  Hao'  as 


* 


* 


JOW 


at   Khai'toun 

anv  advi(,'e   from    n. 


(Jordon    appointed    the    (Jerman    \'ice-( 'onsul 
1  as  my   i:^enr.  t  >  ret'civc  my  pay.  without 


'>OMt     [[. 


V 


oi    several   nion 


hel 


ieve    it    was    pj 


U' 


'  I) 


hill 


i    ivuuiarlv 


ths  1 
lint    tinallv 


(loi'dcn  appointed  the  ,-,ame  \'i('e-(  onsul  Uo.  cj-nor  of 
.l)arfonr.  wheii  he  sho;'i!\  ;;fter  died.  Wlicii  his  clfecls 
were  '  'llected  ;'.nd  his  .-.u.dl  dehts  paid,  there  wei'e 
found    sutHcient   funds   to  present    liis    wife  with    I'.'jOO 


ind 


■^ClK 


I    h 
1 


t<t    ('air<>.    and    r«t    ti'ansfcr  ,£.')()   to   m\' 


A  f 


cw  iiioni  h.~ 


iftcr- 


aeeount  as  ins  priiu  ij)al  ocditor. 
wards  Kharto'im  l(=ll,  and  what  money  had  hc,-)i  de- 
po.>ited  Hun'e  after  the  \  ice  ( 'oiisnls  deadii  was  i((st  of 
course.  So  that  for  eiulit  vears  I  ha\'e  received  no  [»ay 
at  all." 


* 


* 


Mv  last    inter\iew  witli  (h)V<!oii  Pasha  was  in   IS 


t  I 


TIk'I'     had    IxH'n  an   Ex[)e(lition   s«uit   Ic.   !  )arfonr.  un<ler 
Colonel    Prout,  and  another   under  Colonel    Purdy,  for 


444 


AV   DARKEST  AFRICA. 


r 


\\ 


survey  work.  Wuen  Gordon  })e('ame  Crovernor-Oeneral, 
he  re(|ue'iLc<l  Stone  Pasha,  at  Cairo,  to  despatch  to  liini 
one  of  tliese  officers,  for  survey  work  ir  the  Equatorial 
Province.  Gessi  Pasha  had  ah'eady  circumnavigated 
the  Al})ert,  but  his  survey  was  hy  compass  only.  Both 
Prout  Bey  and  Mason  Bey  were  capital  observers. 
Prout  Bey  was  the  first  to  arrive.  He  travelled  from 
La<lo  to  Fatiko,  thence  to  Mruli,  on  the  Victoria  Nile, 
and  from  there  he  proceaded  to  Magungo,  on  the  Albert 
Nyanza,  and  by  a  series  of  observations  he  fixed  the 
position  of  that  point  for  all  time.  Illness  compelled 
him  to  retire  to  my  station  at  Lado.  Just  then  Mason 
Bey  arrived  in  a  steamer,  to  survey  the  Albert  Lake, 
and  by  that  steamer  I  received  an  order  to  descend  to 
Khartoum,  to  be  made  Governor  of  j\lassowah,  on  the 
Bed  Sea.  The  French  Consul  of  that  place  had  a  mis- 
understanding with  the  civil  Gcjvernor  there,  and  he 
had  begged  that  if  another  (liovernor  was  appointed,  he 
shouhl  be  some  person  who  couhl  understand  P^reiich. 
I  supT)ose  Gordon,  knowing  me  to  be  familiar  with  the 
language,  had  elected  me.  On  reaching  Khartoum  I 
Avas  very  cordially  received  l)y  Goi'don,  and  he  insisted 
on  my  taking  my  meals  with  him,  which  was  a  great 
favour,  as  he  seldom  invited  anybody  to  eat  with  him. 
However,  I  declined  living  in  the  palace,  and  break- 
fasted at  home,  but  lunch  and  dinner  Gordon  insisted  I 
should  take  with  him.  He  had  abundance  of  work  for 
me — letters  to  the  Egyptian  Pashas  and  Ijcvs  of  the 
various  provinces;  letters  to  the  C*atholic  Mis-;ion  of 
({on(h)kor() ;  letters  to  the  Pope,  to  the  Khedive,  &c.,  in 
Italian,  (xerman,  and  Arabic.  This  went  on  for  scmie 
time,  when  one  day  he  sent  me  on  a  mission  to  Unyoro. 
A  little  later  I  ascended  the  river,  and  1  have  n  'ver 
seen  Gordon  since." 

^7  ^qT  *!«■  ^T 

"  In  June,  1882,  Abdul  Kader  i^isha  wi'ote  me  that  in 
a  couple  of  months  he  would  despatch  a  steamer  to  me 
with  provisions  and  annnunition.  After  waiting  nine 
months  T  obtained  fifteen  cases  only  of  ammunition,  in 
March,  188.S.     That  is  really  the  last  !*iupply  of  anything 


ill 


^it 


I     ' 


EMIN  PASHA. 


445 


received  from  tlie  outside  world  until  your  recent  arrival 
in  April,  1888.     Five  years  exactly  !" 

7|t  7|f  fp  •!•  "V 

"  Durinii'  ^'  'c  vears  I  have  remained  isolated  in  this 
region  ;  not  idle,  I  hope.  I  have  heen  kept  i»usy  in 
the  ati'airs  of  my  Province,  and  have  managed  to  iind 
pleasure  in  many  things.  Still,  the  isolation  frcmi  the 
civilized  world  h;  ^  made  li+'c  rather  Ijurthensome.  I 
could  enjov  life  here  to  the  end,  could  1  hut  obtain 
regular  news,  and  was  certain  of  comnmnication  with 
the  outer  world,  receive  ])ooks,  periodicals,  every  month, 
two  months,  or  even  three  months.  I  en\  >'  those 
missionaries  in  Uganda  who  I'cceive  their  monthly 
packet  of  letters,  newspapers  and  hooks.  Mr.  Mackay 
has  quite  a  library  in  L  gaiida.  That  packet  of  ■"  honey 
dew"  tobacco  I  gave  you  the  other  day  I  obtained  fr(;m 
him.  I  received  also  a  couple  of  bottles  of  licjuor,  have 
had  clothes,  writing  paper,  and  such  news  as  I  know  I 
discovered  in  the  Spi'ctatovs  and  Times  now  and  then 
sent  me  by  him.  But  there  are  certain  books  upon 
su1)jects  which  I  am  interested  in  that  I  could  never 
obtain  through  him  without  giving  him  and  his  friends 
far  too  great  a  trouble.  Therefore  I  should  wish  a  postal 
service  of  mv  own,  then  niv  life  would  Ijc  relieved  of  its 
discontent.  Ah,  those  eight  years  of  silence  !  1 
cannot  put  my  feelings  in  words.  I  could  not  endure 
them  again." 

*Afc  Ah  A  ^. 

yf*  1?  *Iv  'tT 

I  have  already  described  his  person  and  age.  and  cer- 
tain qualities  of  his  character  may  })e  discerned  in  the 
conversation  reported  above  ;  still,  the  man  would  be 
scarcely  understood  in  the  full  compass  of  his  nature  if 
I  stopped  here.  His  abilities,  and  capacity,  and  fitness 
for  the  singular  position  in  which  he  has  been  placed 
will  be  seen  in  the  manner  in  which  he  has  managed  to 
clothe  many  of  his  troops.  Among  the  gifts  he  pressed 
upon  us  were  pieces  of  cotton  cloth  woncii  by  his  own 
men,  coarse  but  strong,  and  slippers  and  shoes  from  his 
own  bootmakers.  The  condition  of  his  steamers  and 
boats  after  such   long  service,  the   manufacture   of   oil 


' r  .    '  -    .  Jt 


44t) 


IN   D  AUK  EST  AFL'ICA. 


limp 


IH 


iii|iiti 


siiital)lo  for  the  eiiuines  (a  mixture  of  scsamum  oil  and 
tallow),  tlic  t'XccllcHt  saiiitai'v  arraiiiiciiu'iits  and  clcan- 
lini'ss  and  order  of  the  stations  uncU'i'  his  chai'oe,  tlie 
regnlar  and  ungrudnini;'  payment  of  corn  ti'ihnte  twice 
a  year  l)y  his  negro  suWjccts.  all  serve  to  demonstrate 
a  uni(|uc  character,  and  to  show  that  he  j)()ssesses  talents 
rarely  seen  in  those  who  sekct  Africa  for  their  field  of 
hd)our.  In  endeavonring  to  estimate  him,  1  pass  in 
mental  review  hundi-eds  of  officers  who  have  served  on 
the  Nile  and  the  Con<>(),  and  I  know  of  liut  few  who 
wonld  l)e  e([ual  to  him  in  any  one  of  his  valnaMe  (^nali- 
ties.  Besides  his  lini>iiistic  attaimnents.  he  is  a  natu- 
ralist, something  of  a  hotanist,  and,  as  a  surgeon,  I  can 
well  helieve  that  thirty  years  of  an  adventurous  life 
such  as  his  has  ])een  would  furnish  him  with  rare  oppor- 
tunities to  make  him  wise  and  skilful  in  his  profession. 
The  language  he  has  used,  as  may  be  seen  above,  is 
something  higher  than  colhxjuial,  and  marks  his  attain- 
ments in  English.  With  his  full  sonorous  voice  and 
measured  tones,  it  sounded  very  pleasantly,  despite  the 
foreign  accent.  Upon  any  policy  treated  of  in  news- 
papers and  reviews  I  found  him  exceedingly  well 
informed,  no  matter  what  country  was  l»roached.  His 
mannei'  is  highly  courteous  and  considerate,  s(jmewliat, 
perhaps,  too  ceremonious  for  Central  Africa,  hut  highly 
becoming  a  (4overnor,  and  such  as  one  mio;ht  expect 
from  an  official  of  that  rank,  conscious  of  serious  respon- 
sil)ilities. 

Industrv  seems  to  be  a  vital  necessitv  of  life  with  him. 
He  is  a  model  of  painstaking  patient  effort.  No  sooner 
has  he  camped  than  he  begins  to  effect  arrangements 
orderly  and  after  method.  His  tal)le  and  chair  ha\e 
their  place,  his  journals  on  the  table,  the  aneroids  on  a 
convenient  stand,  dry  and  wet  bulb  thermometers  duly 
exposed  in  the  shade,  with  ample  air-flow  about  them. 
The  journals  are  marvels  of  neatness — blotless,  and  the 
writing  microscopically  minute,  as  though  he  aimed  at 
obtaining  a  prize  for  accuracy,  economy,  neatness  and 
fidelitv.  Indeed,  most  (Jermans  of  mv  ac(|uaintance  are 
remarkal)le  for  the  bulk  of  their  oljservations  and  super- 


KMIX  I'ASIIA. 


447 


fine  cali^rapliy,  wliile  En,i;'lisli-sp(','il-  iiio-  travcllcM's  wlioni 

I  Iwive  known  possess  noto-liooks  wliicli.  nseful  as  they 

may   })e   to   thi'inselvcs,  \voul<l  a})pc'ai'  ill-kept.   Itloteliv 

and  scrawly  in  comparison  to  them,  and  fuinisli  iiiHiiite 

trouble  to  their  executors  to  edit. 

*  m  *  % 

The  I'olhnvin^i;-  will  illustrate  somethiun'  of  his  troubles 
durino-  the  five  years  he  has  heen  cut  oil"  from  head- 
<|uarters  at  Khartoum. 

Shukri  Agha.  Commandant  of  Mswa  station,  who 
paid  me  u  visit  uw  the  eveninijf  of  the  I  i)th  May,  relates 
that  about  a  year  a!j;o  190  ri ties  of  the  First  Jiattalion 
set  out  from  Rejaf  Station  for  Kirri,  whei-e  the  l*aslia 
resided,  with  the  intent  to  capture  and  hold  him 
captive  anions'  themselves.  A  letter  had  been  received 
ii\m\  Dr.  Junker  fi-om  Cairo,  statin_i»'  that  an  expedition 
w^as  to  be  sent  to  their  relief,  had  created  a  confused 
impression  in  the  minds  of  the  soldieis  of  the  First 
Battalion  that  their  (Jovernor  intended  to  tlv  in  that 
direction,  leaving  them  to  their  fate.  Convinced  that 
their  safety  lay  in  the  presence  of  their  Civil  (Jovernor 
among  them,  they  conceived  the  idea  of  arresting  him 
and  taking  him  with  them  to  Rejaf,  which,  with  the 
more  northern  stations,  was  ffiirrisoned  bv  this  })attalion. 
"  F(n',"  said  they,  '*we  know  only  of  one  road,  and  that 
leads  down  the  Nile  by  Khartoum."  *  The  Pasha  was 
suddenly  informed  of  their  intention  ])y  the  officers  of 
the  Second  Battalion,  and  cried  out,  "  Well,  if  they  kill 
me,  I  am  not  afraid  of  death  ;  let  them  come — I  will 
await  them."  This  the  officers  of  the  Second  Battalion 
at  Kirri  w^(>uld  not  permit,  and  implored  him  to  make 
his  escape  before  the  malcontents  appeared,  and  argued 
that  "  the  violent  capture  and  detention  of  the  Ciovern<»r 
w^ould  put  an  end  to  all  government,  and  })e  the  total 
ruin  of  all  discipline."  For  s(mie  time  he  refused  to 
move,  l)ut  finally,  yielding  to  their  solicitations,  escaped 
to  Mswa.      Soon  after  his  departure  the  detachment  of 


*  The  correspondence  these  people  maintained  with  Khartoum  compel 
me  to  doubt  whether  tliis  is  the  correct  reason.  Read  Omar  Hale's  letter 
to  the  Khalifa  at  Khartoum,  farther  on. 


f      r-t 


* 


m 


Pljl!" 


t .  .h 


in 


I  ■  i 


44H 


IX  DAL'KEST  AFllICA. 


the  First  I^iittalion  cippuurol.  and,  after  surrouiidiiio-  the 
station,  ei'ied  out  a  {K'reniptory  demand  that  tlie 
Governor  should  come  out  and  deliver  himself  to  them. 
They  were  answered  that  the  (iovernor  had  already 
departed  south  to  Mu^'^i  and  Wadelai,  upon  which  the 
mutineers  advanced  to  the  station,  and  seized  the 
C'onnnandant  and  his  subordinate  officials,  and  soundly 
tio,u,i;ed  them  with  the  kurhash,  and  afterwai'ds  took 
most  of  them  prisonei's  and  carried  them  to  Kejaf, 
whither  they  returned. 

Shukri  Ai^ha  continued  thus  : — "  You  must  know  that 
all  the  First  l)attalion  ^i^uard  the  northern  stations,  and 
every  soldier  of  that  l)attalion  is  opposed  to  making  any 
retreat,  and  any  sui;oestion  of  leaving  their  watch  post 
at  Rejaf,  the  northernmost  station,  only  makes  them 
indignant.  They  have  heen  all  along  waiting  to  hear 
of  the  ai'rival  of  a  steamer  at  Lado,  and  are  still  firm  in 
the  helief  that  some  (hiy  the  Tasha  at  Khartoum  will 
send  for  them.  Whatever  the  Pasha  says  to  the  con- 
trary receives  utter  dishelief.  But  now  that  you  have 
arrived  by  an  opposite  road,  and  scmie  of  us  who  were 
with  Linant  ViQX  in  i875  saw  you  in  Uganda,  and  many 
more  of  us  have  known  you  by  name,  it  is  most  likely 
all  of  them  will  be  convinced  that  the  Nile  is  not  the 
only  road  to  Egypt,  and  that  you,  having  found  them, 
can  take  them  out  of  the  countrv.  Thev  will  see  vour 
officers,  they  \\'\\\  see  your  Soudanese,  they  will  listen 
respectfully  to  your  message,  and  gladly  obey.  That 
is  my  own  opinion,  though  (lod  only  knows  what  th<' 
sentiments  of  the  First  Battalion  are  by  this  time,  as 
sufficient  time  has  not  elapsed  to  enable  us  to  he;ir 
from  them." 

AL.  A|«  Jti  «b  Ab 

•IP  *^  fff  vff  TIP 

On  telling  Emin  Pasha  the  next  day  the  stoiy  of 
Shukri  Agha.  he  said  : — 

"Shukri  Agha  is  a  very  intelligent  and  brave  officer, 
promoted  to  his  present  rank  for  distinguished  service 
against  Ivaramalla,  one  of  the  ^lahdi's  generals,  when 
he  came  here  with  some  thousands  to  demand  our 
surrender  to  the  authoritv  of  Mohamed  Achniet." 


EMIN  J'A.SJ/A. 


U\) 


"  Ilis  story  is  ((iiito  trno.  oxcopt  that  lie  has  omittod  to 

niciitiou  th>it  with  the  1 1)0  ritk's  of  tlic   First  liattalion 

there  were  1)00  armed  neuroes.      Siil>se(|iieiitly  I  leariie«l 

that  it  had  Ihmmi  their  intention  to  have    taken   me    to 

(l<)n<h)kor(),  and  detain  me  there  nntil   the   <>arris()ns  of 

the  soutliern   stations,    Waih'hii,   'I'uni'nru,   a!id    Msvva, 

were   eoHeeted,   and    then    to    have   marched    ah»n^i;'   the 

ri<J!;ht  hank  towards  K]iart(aim.      On  reachin<;'  the  nei,i;li- 

hourhoo<l  of  Khartoum,  and  there  h^ai'iiin^'  tiiat  the  city 

had  really  faHen,    they  weie  then    to  disperse,  each    to 

his  own  house,  h'avin^  the  Cairenes  and   myself  to  shift 

as  we  might  for  ourselves."  * 

*  •*  *  *  * 

The  following  are  some  natural  history  hiets  he 
related  to  me  :— 

"  The  forest  of  Msongwa  (see  map)  is  infested  with  a 
large  trihe  of  chimpanzees.  In  sumiiiei-  time,  at  night, 
they  freijuently  visit  the  phmtations  of  Mswa  station  to 
steal  the  fruit.  But  what  is  remarkal)h'  about  this  is  the 
fa,(;t  that  they  use  torches  to  light  the  way  !  Had  1 
not  witnessed  this  extraordinary  spectacle  personally 
]  shouhl  never  have  ci'edited  that  any  of  the  Simians 
understood  the  art  of  making  tire."' 

'"One  time  these  same  chim2)anzees  stole  a  native 
drum  from  the  staticm,  and  went  away  pounding  meri-ily 
on  it.  'I'hey  evi(U'ntly  delight  in  that  drum,  for  I  have 
freijuently  heard  tliem  rattling  away  at  it  in  the  silence 
of  the  night." 

He  ol)sei'ved  tliat  parrots  are  never  seen  along  the 
shores  of  Lake  Albert.  Up  to  lat.  2*^  N.  they  are  seen 
in  Unyoro,  l)ut  the  Lake  i)eople  (h>  not  seem  to  under- 
stand what  is  refei'red  to  when  parrots  are  mentioned. 

Our  people  captured  a  pair  of  very  young  mongoose, 
which  were  taken  to  the  Pasha.  They  were  accepted, 
and  ordered  to  be  nursed  (m  milk.  He  declared  that 
the  monQ:oose,  thouuh  he  becomes  very  tame  and  is 
exceedingly   droll,    is    a     nuisance.       Instruments    arc 

*  Knowinp^  this,  the  Pasha  seems  to  me  to  have  been  very  imprudent 
in  adventuring  into   the  presence   of  these   reV)eIs   without   satisfying 


liimself  as  to  the  effect  his  presence  would  have  on  them. 
VOL.    I. 


J)  1) 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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4^0 


1.0 


I.I 


m.  12.5 


1^  ^ 


us 
us 


■  40 


I 


2.2 


2.0 


1.25 

||U|1,.6 

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► 

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7 


fliotographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


\ 


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,v 


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33  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  672-4503 


t  . 


1    I 


I    ^■ 


400 


JN  DAItKEST  AFRICA. 


ln'okcii,  ink  scnttcrod,  papers  nnd  Ixxiks  are  smearo<1 
and  soiled  ))y  this  intjuisitive  little  heast.  To  e<i^os  ii 
is  cs[)e('ia]]y  destructive.  Ii'  it  finds  an  e^,H'  of  nioic 
than  ordinai'v  Jiai'd  shell,  it  lifts  it  with  its  fore-feet  and 
lets  it  drop  until  it  is  broken. 

'I'he  I'asha  has  much  to  say  res})e(;tin<»"  the  Dinkas. 
l*ro[)rietors  of  cattle  among  the  Dinka  tribe  own  from 
:{00  to  1500  head.  Thev  rarelv  kill,  their  cattle  hein- 
kept  solely  for  their  milk  and  blood.  The  latter  they 
mix  with  sesanmm  oil,  and  then  eat  as  a  delicac^y.  At 
the  death  of  a  herd-owner  his  nearest  kinsman  invites 
his  friends,  and  one  or  two  beeves  may  be  slaunhtercMJ 
for  the  funeral  feast ;  otherwise  one  scarcely  ever  heais 
of  a  Dinka  killing-  his  cattle  for  meat.  Sluudd  one  of 
the  liei'd  die  a  natural  death,  the  love  of  meat  demands 
that  it  be  eaten,  which  is  a  proof  that  conscience  does 
m)t  prohibit  satisfying  the  stomach  with  meat,  but 
rather  exces.-ive  ])enuriousness,  cattle  being  the  Dinkas 
wealth. 

Tliese  Dinkas  also  pay  great  reverence  to  pythons  and 
all  kinds  of  snakes.  One  of  the  Sou<hinese  officers  killed 
a  snake,  and  was  compelled  to  pay  a  fine  of  four  goats. 
They  even  (hmiesticate  them,  keej)ing  them  in  their 
houses,  but  they  are  allowed  every  liberty,  and  to  crawl 
out  for  i)rey,  after  which  they  return  for  rest  and  sleep. 
They  wash  the  pythons  with  milk  and  anoint  them 
with  butter.  In  almost  every  hut  the  smaller  snakes 
may  ))e  heaid  I'ustling  in  the  roofs  as  they  (;rawl, 
exploring  for  rats,  mice,  etc. 

On  the  east  side  of  the  Nile  he  found  a  tiibe  ex- 
ceedingly partial  to  lions  ;  in  fact,  one  of  them  would 
prefer  to  be  killed  than  be  guilt}-  of  the  death  of  a  lion. 
These  people  dug  a  pit  at  one  time  for  buflaloes  and 
such  ganie  to  fall  into,  but  it  unfortunately  ha{)pen(Ml 
that  a  lion  was  the  first  victim.  The  Soudanese  who 
discovei'ed  it  were  about  to  kill  it,  when  the  chief  vetoed 
th(^  act  and  imploreil  that  the  lion  should  be  given  to 
him.  The  Soudanese  wei'c  willing  enough,  and  curiously 
wat(;hed  what  he  would  do  with  it.  The  chief  cut  a 
long  stout  pole  and   laid   it  slantwise  to  the  bottom  of 


EMIS    I'ASIIA. 


461 


are  smeared 


tlie  Dinkas. 
le  own   from 

cattle  l)eiiiL: 
i  latter  they 
elicacy.  At 
miaii   invites 

.slau^-^hteretl 
y  ever  heai's 
lould  one  of 
3at  demands 
seience  does 
I    meat,    but 

the  Dinka's 


the  pit,  nj)  wliicji  the  lion  immediately  climbed  and 
bounded  away  to  the  iun<ile  to  enjoy  his  liberty,  it 
should  be  added  that  the  noble  beast  did   not  attempt 


to  injure  any  person   near  the  pit  — [)robal)ly  he  was  too 

friu'litened  ;  thouiih  as  })rettv  a  storv  miuht  be  made  out 

fit  as  that  of  Androcles  and   the  lion,  did  we  not  live 


o 


m  such  a  veracious  and  prosaic  a^e. 

"  Bird  stu«lies,"'  the  .^ray-  haired  lieutenant  from 
Cairo  declared,  were  the  Pasha's  delight.  Indeed,  he 
seems  to  find  as  i^reat  pleasure  in  anything;-  relatin<;'  to 
birds  or  animals  as  in  his  military  and  civil  duties, 
though  I  have  not  observed  any  ne«>lect  of  the  last,  and 
the  respectful  soldierly  bearing'  of  his  people  in  his 
presence  marks  a  disci[)line  well  impressed  on  them. 


* 


* 


* 


From  the  above  lileaniniis  of  such  conversation  as  T 
have  noted  it  will  be  clear  to  anv  one  that  the  Pasha  has 


had 


a  varuM 


1  life, 


<nie 


that 


W(  »u 


Idf 


urnis 


h  t( 


th 


>  (luier  nonn 


k(  c;^';i^  people  much  valuable  and  enchanting"  readin;; 
matter,  it  may  be  hoped  he  will  see  fit  some  day  to 
exhibit  to  them  in  book  form  some  of  his  startlinii'  life 


mcK 


lentf 


m 


A.^ 


la  an< 


1   Afi 
.ftl 


ica.  aiK 


I  rel 


learse  in  ins  own 


pleasmti  manner  some  ot  the  most  interesting  observations 
he  has  made  durinj'  a  Ion*"'  residence  amid  a  new  and 
wild  nature. 


f* 


ill 


(  , 


' '  H     i 


V'Wi 


18HH. 
.luilK    I. 

Mukaiigi. 


452 


JN  JJAJiKluST  AFlllVA. 


CHAPTER  XVIIT. 

START   FOR    THE    RELIEF    OF  THE    REAR   COLUMN. 

Escorted  by  various  tril«3s  to  ^lukaii^i — Camp  at  Tkuba  villafjje — Arrival 
at  Fort  Rodo — Our  invalids  in  Ugarrowwa's  care — Lieutenant  Stairs' 
rei)ort  on  his  visit  to  bring  up  the  invalids  to  Fort,  JJodo — Night 
visits  l)y  the  malicious  dwarfs— A  general  muster  of  the  garrison— I 
decide  to  conduct  the  Relief  Force  in  person— Captain  Nelson's  ili- 
I'.ealth- My  little  fox-terrier  "Randy" — J)escription  of  the  fort — 
The  Zanzibaris — Kstiniated  time  to  perform  the  journey  to  Yambnya 
and  l)ack — Lieutenant  Stairs'  suggestion  about  the  steamer  Stdnlni 
-  Conversation  with  Ijieutenant  Stairs  in  reference  to  Major  Rarttelot 
and  the  Rear  Column — Letter  of  instructions  to  Lieutenant  Stairs. 

On  the  1st  of  Juno,  escorted  l>y  u  score  of  JMuziiniltoiiis 
people,  we  iiiarclied  westvvai'd  from  rndussiiinu.  In  an 
liour  and  a  half  we  reached  l:rumano\va.  Tliis  district 
furnisjied  an  escort  of  al)out  a  hundred,  the  Mazand)onis 
witlidrawini;-  to  tlieir  lionies.  At  Unyaljon^o,  after  a 
two  liours'  march,  tlie  people  of  Urumanowa  likewise 
withdrew,  yieldin<^-  their  honoural)le  duties  to  the  peo{)le 
of  the  new  district,  and  these  escorted  us  fo'  an  hour 
and  a  half,  and  saw  us  safely  housed  and  almndantly 
fed  at  Mukanoji.  For  a  sjiort  time  before  the  latter 
place  we  were  di'awn  up  in  Itattle  aiTay,  and  a  fioht  was 
imminent,  hut  th"  courai^e  and  o()()d  sense  of  its  cliief 
ena'aled  both  parties  to  avoid  a  useless  rupture. 

A  ojood  example  has  its  imitators  as  well  as  l)ad 
examples.  The  chiefs  of  Wcnnhola  and  Kamette  heaid 
how  quickly  we  had  embraced  the  friendly  otters  of 
Mukan,L!,i,  and  when  we  marched  throuofh  their  distiiets 
the  next  ihxy  not  one  war-cry  was  heai'd  or  a  liostile  fiourc 
appeai'ed.  Those  of  Kaii..'.tte  called  out  to  us  to  keep  on 
our  way,  it  is  true,  ])ut  it  was  just,  as  we  liad  no  business 
in  Kameite,  and  the  day  was  yet  youno; ;  but  on  our 
arrival  at  the  next  village,  (Tku)>a,  we  were  tired,  and 
disposed  to  rest  after  a  five  hours'  march.      But  I'kuba, 


THE  SILENCE  OF   THE  FOJiEST. 


458 


of  Bess('  (listi'K't,  had  already  oxpericnccd  our  weapons 
on  the  12th  A{)i'il  last,  and  we  were  permitted  to  camp 
(piietly.  At  sunset  we  were  gratified  at  seeing  several 
of  the  natives  walking  unarmed  to  camp,  and  in  the 
morning  they  came  again  with  presents  of  a  milch  goat, 
some  fowls,  and  enough  })lantains  for  all. 

On  the  l]rd  we  pressed  on  rapidly,  and  captured  the 
canoes  to  ferry  our  party  across  the  Ituri.  which,  though 
there  had  ])een  hut  little  rain  of  late,  we  found  to  he  as 
full  as  in  rainy  April. 

On  the  next  day  we  captured  a  woman  of  Mande 
after  crossing  the  river,  and  released  her  to  tell  her 
people  that  we  were  harndess  enough  if  the  road  was 
undisturbed.  It  may  extend  the  are;'  over  which  peace 
hetween  us  and  the  natives  is  estal>lished. 

On  the  5th  we  camped  at  Bahuiu.  and  on  the  next 
day  at  W.  Indenduru.  On  the  7th  a  seven  hours' march 
brought  us  to  a  stream  called  Mi  wale  lli\er,  from  the 
great  nund)er  of  rapliia  palms  :  and  the  next  day  wj 
entered  Fort  Bodo,  bringing  with  us  six  head  of  cattle, 
a  Hock  of  sheep  and  goats,  a  few  loads  of  native 
tobacco,  four  gallcnis  of  the  Pasha's  wldsky,  and  some 
other  little  luxuries,  to  joy  the  hearts  of  the  garrison. 

Su(;h  an  utter  silence  prevails  in  the  forest  that  we 
were  mutually  ii»norant  of  each  other's  fate  during 
our  sixty-seven  (hiys'  separation.  Until  we  approached 
within  400  yards  of  Fort  Bodo  we  could  not  divine 
what  had  beccmie  of  Tieutenant  Stairs,  who,  it  will  be 
remembered,  had  been  despatched  on  the  Kith  Februaiy 
to  ligarrowwa's  to  conduct  such  convalescents  as  (;ould 
be  found  there  to  us  to  share  in  such  fortune  as  might 
happen  to  us  in  the  open  country,  whose  very  view- 
had  proved  so  medicinable  to  our  men.  Nor  could  the 
garrison  guess  what  luck  had  lia])pened  to  us.  But 
when  our  I'ities  woke  up  the  slee|)ing  echoes  of  the 
forest  with  their  volleys,  the  sounds  had  scarcely  died 
away  before  the  rifles  of  the  gairison  responded, 
and  as  we  knew  that  Fort  Bodo  still  existed,  those 
imnmied  within  the  limits  of  the  clearing  became  aware 
that  we  had  returned  from  the  Nvanza, 


1H88. 
June  2, 

Ukuba. 


'■fl 


?■,;; . 


...  i 


1888. 
June  H. 

Flirt  liodi 


454 


IX   DM! K EST  AFIIICA. 


LicuU'iiiiiit  Stairs  was  first  to  show  hiinsolf  and  hail 
us,  and  closi'  after  him  (^aptaiii  Nclsini,  Intth  in  cxccllcnr 
condition,  hut  of  i-athcr  [)asty  conipk'xion.     Their  men 


tl 


icn    canic    ti'oo|)in<j^    uj),    ('xuncrant    joy    spaikhnii    m 


their  eyes  and  ,nlowin<i^  in  theii-  faces,  for  tliese  chihli'cii 
of  Natun   know  not  tlie  art  of  conceal  in  i»'  tlieir  moods  or 


disnuisnin-  their  eni<>tions. 

But,  alas!  lor  my  estimates.  Since  I  have  entere<l 
the  forest  reuion  thev  have  aiwavs  lieen  on  the  erring 
side.  After  computing  carefully,  as  1  thou<;ht,  eveiy 
mile  of  the  course  to  he  travelled  and  every  o])stacIe 
likely  to  1k'  met  l»y  him  and  his  liuhtly-laden  escort,  1 
was  certain  liieutenant  Stairs  would  he  with  us  after  an 
al)sence  of  thirty-nine  (biys.  We  stayed  forty-seven  days, 
as  we  were  assured  it  would  please  him  to  he  present 
at  the   successful  termination  or   <'rownin,u'  triumj)h  of 


our  ( 


Hort.^ 


II< 


e  arrived  alter  seventv-one  days  ahsenct 


and   hy  that  (hite  we  had  already  commuiiieated  with 
Em  in  I'asha. 

1  had  estimated  also  that  out  of  the  fifty-six  invalids 
left  in  the  care  of  LJuarrowwa.  and  hoarded  at  our 
exj)ense,  at  least  forty  convalescents  would  he  ready,  fit 
for  marchinn-.  hut  Mr.  Stairs  found  most  of  them  in 
worse  con«lition  than  when  they  parte<l  from  us.  All 
the  Somalis  were  dea<l  except  one.  and  the  survivor  hut 
lived  to  reach  Ipoto.  Out  of  the  fifty-six  there  were 
hut  thirty-foui' remaining'.  ( >ne  of  these  was  .luma.  with 
f(H»t  amputated  ;  three  wereahsent  fora^ini;.  <  )ut  of  the 
thirty  sorry  hand  of  living'  skeletons  deli\-ere(l  to  him 
fourteen  die<l  on  the  road,  one  was  left  at  lp(»to,  the 
remaining;'  fifteen  survived  U)  exhihit  theii'  mide  hodies 
(Hsfinured  hy  the  loathliest  colours  and  effects  of  chronic 
disease.  The  followino'  is  the  letter  descrihino"  Mi'. 
Stairs'  remai'kahle  journey,  which  am})ly  accounts  for 
his  detention  :  — 

"Fort  Boilo.  Tl)\viii,  rnitnil  Afrini, 
«yj,j_  "./»»'"V//,  LS8S. 

"  I  Inivo  the  liononr  to  vo])ort  that  in  iiconnliUiccwitli  vour  orders 
of  tlic  15tli  Fc-iiruary.  18SH,  I  loft  this  phicc  on  the  Kith  of  tliat  month 
witli  an  oscort  of  twenty  eouriens  and  other  details,  to  proceed  to 
Ugarro  ,vwa's  station  on  tlie  Itnri,  forward  the  couriers  on  their  journey  to 


I  !li 


nEMAUKMil.E  JOVnSEY  BY  Mil.    S'l'MllS. 


■\^u^ 


li  your  ordcrfi 
•f  tliat  iiioiitli 
()  proceed  tn 
c'ir  journey  to 


Major  Biirttelut'scoliinni,  relieve;  tlie  iiiViilids  left  in  cliiirge  ot  rj:;iirro\v\\ii. 

iitid  briiin  tlieiii  on  to  tins  station. 
"  JjCiis  iii^  this  pliice,  then,  on  the  IGth,  we  reached  Kiliniani  Hill  viliiifie 
1  the  17th.     Ne.xt  ilav  I  decided  to  follow  a  lar^e  native  tracl 


ot 


we 


1  sss. 
.luiie  X 

Fort  Boilo. 


worn,  alir)Mt  two  miles  west  «>f  Kiliniani  on  our  through  track  to  I|iot(»; 
aecoi'dingl.v  we  started  off  this  u|»  till  11  a.m.  After  we  had  };one  this 
leujith,  the  track  struck  too  much  to  the  north  and  east;  J  therefore 
looked  for  other  tracks,  liopiMt;'  l)y   foilowinj:;  one  to  at  hist  j^'et  on  to  a 


I  a  rue   r(»ad 


aiK 


I    til 


us  work  through    t(    the  Ihur\i.     Findinu'   one.  we 


followed  it  up  some  two  mihs  or  .so,  and  then  found  that  it  ended 
aliruptly,  and  no  further  trac<'  could  he  found  of  it.  KetMriiing  to  our 
tbrmer  road  we  moved  on,  and  that  da\  lade  four  more  endeavours  to 
;,'et  north-west  or  .somewhere  m  that  dii'ection;  late  at  \\'\y(\\\  we  canifxid, 
just  liefore  dari<.  liavin;:,'  found  a  hlazcMl  track.  On  the  next  day,  lIHli,  we 
followed  this  track  north-west  at  a  fa.st  rate,  and  about  10  a.m.  came  on 
to  an  old  villa}i:e.  The  Ida/.es  here  ended;  no  further  sij^iis  of  a  track 
could  we  find  leading  out  of  the  village,  though  we  hunted  thoroughly 
in  every  direction.  Heturning  again,  and  following  a  large  track  north- 
east, we  made  still  another  try,  hut  here  again  the  track  ended. 

"  After  sonu;  consideration  1  returned  to  our  camp  of  yesterday,  and 
di.'cided  on  following  a  road  leailing  towards  Mahungu,  and  then  take  a 
side  road,  said  l»y  tlie  natives  to  lead  to  the  lliuru,  but  on  following  this 
we  found  it  leail  merely  up  to  .some  Wambutti  huts,  and  here  ran  out. 

"  After  taking  my  head  men's  opinion,  I  then  decided  on  reti..  .ling 
and  following  our  old  road  to  Ipoto,  there  to  ]»rocure  two  guides  and 
follow  on  the  track  to  Uledi's  village,  and  there  cross  the  Ihuru  and 
follow  down  on  north  side,  (Vc.  My  reasons  for  doing  these  were:  If  I 
should  go  on  lik((  this,  looking  for  tracks,  I  sliouhl  lose  pnjbably  four  or 
five  days,  and  this  with  my  limited  time  would  not  be  admissible;  and, 
.secondly,  that  to  attempt  to  split  our  way  on  a  bearing  through  the  bush 
to  the  river  would  take  perhaps  five  days,  which  would  (piite  c()unter- 
lialance  any  advantage  a  north  road  might  jios.sess.  Iicaching  i\iIonga 
Longa's  on  the  'J^nd,  we  arrange(l  for  a  party  to  take  us  by  a  I'oad  south 
of  Ituri,  and  on  the  21th  left.  On  the  1st  of  March  crossecl  the  Lenda, 
courses  now  N.W.  and  X.N.W.  On  the  Utli  reacheil  Farishi,  the  upper 
station  of  Ugarrowwa.  On  the  Uth  we  reach(>(|  rgarrowwa's,on  the  Jturi, 
early  in  the  morning.  For  many  days  we  had  been  having  rains,  and 
owing  to  thest!  1  sutfered  very  much  from  fevers,  and  on   getting   to 


an< 


I    to    get    tlu'.sc 


I'garrowwa's  had  to  remain  in  bed  for  two  day.s. 

"At   F.'s  some  eight  or  ten  were   away  foraging 
required  three  and  a  half  days. 

"  Fifty-six  (5G)  men  were  left  with  Ugarrowwa,  viz.,  five  Somalis,  tivfs 
Nubians,  and  forty-six  /anzil)aris,  on  the  18th  of  September,  1887.  Of 
this  total  twenty-six  had  died,  including  all  the  Somalis  except  Dualla. 
There  were  still  two  men  out  when  I  left.  Haraka  W.  Moussa  I  detail(!(| 
as  a  courier  in  place  of  another  (who  hail  been  left  at  Ipoto  with  bad 
ulcerX  and  Junia  li.  Zaid  reniaine(l  with  Fgarrowwa. 

"  'IIk^  majority  of  the  men  were  in  a  weak  state  when  I  arrived,  and  on 
leaving  1  refused  to  take  seven  of  these.  I'garrowwa,  however,  point 
blank  refused  to  kee])  them,  so  thus  I  was  obliged  to  bring  on  men  with 
till'  certainty  of  their  dying  f>n  the  march. 

"Early  on  the  Mth,  Abdullah  and  his  couriers  were  despatched  down 
river.  On  the  17th  took  our  forty-four  ritles  t'rom  I'garrowwa,  and  ont 
of  these  made  him  a  ])resent  of  tw(»  and  forty-two  rounds  llemington 
anuuunition. 

"  On  the  18th  closed  with  F.  for  .S870,  being  .'^80  for  twenty-nine  na.'n ; 
also  lianded  him  his  bills  of  exchange  and  your  letter. 


"^,F 


!  1 


.1 


, 


IT     ■ 


450 


IHMK. 

.llUH!   H. 

Fort  iitxlo, 


AV   DAhKEST  At'ltlCA. 


"On  sainrdiiy  loft  for  Il)wiri  with  following. 

"  From  the  I'JtIi  to  '2Brd,  nlu'ii  I  rcjiclu'd  Fiirishi,  the  rain  was  constant, 
making'  tlu;  track  liciavy  and  tlic  creeks  ditticnit  in  crossing.  From  hero 
on  to  Jpoto  [  liad  l)ad  fiivcrs  day  after  day,  and  having,'  no  one  to  carry 
me,  liad  to  make  marches  of  five  to  seven  miles  per  ilay.  The  constant 
wettinfj;s  and  had  roads  had  made  all  the  men  very  low-sjiirited,  sonu; 
donhtinjr  even  that  there  was  lielp  ahead.  Readied  Ipoto  A])ril  lltli, 
left  18tli ;  and  after  more  tronhle  from  fever  r(!ached  here  on  'itjth  Ajtril. 
All  j^lad  to  see  the  Fort.  Dualla,  the  Somali,  I  was  obliged  to  leave  at 
Ipoto.  Tarn,  a  fornua-  donkey-hoy,  deserted  on  the  road.  Of  tlie  draft 
of  invalids  (twenty-six)  ten  had  died.  Kihwana  also  died  from  chest 
disease  in  camp  near  Mamhnngn.  Ont  of  fifty-six  invalids  brought 
fourteen  alive  to  the  Fort. 

'•On  reaching  Fort  Hodo  1  fcmnd  you  liad  been  so  long  gone  that  I 
could  not  follow  up  with  safety  with  the  few  rifles  I  c(»u!d  command,  and 
so  reniaintid  at  this  station  and  reported  myself  to  Captain  Nelson,  wIk) 
was  left  in  charge  of  the  Fort  by  you. 

"Floods,  rains,  fevers,  and  other  illnesses  had  been  the  cause  of  our 
hmg  delay,  and  thf)se  of  us  who  were  in  fit  condition  at  all,  felt  bitterly 
the  disa[»pointment  at  not  being  able  to  reach  you. 

"  I  have  the  honour  to  bo,  &c., 

"  W.  (i.  Staius,  Lieut.  IJ.E. 

"  To  .M.  H.  Stanlkv,  Esq." 

Of  the  coiulitioii  of  the  oanison  at  Fort  Bodo  there 
vvns  l)ut  little  to  coniplaiii :  the  uleerous  persons,  though 
iiothiiiir  iin])i'ove(l,  were  not  worse  ;  tlie  anaemic  victims  of 
the  tortures  of  Manyuema  at  Tpoto  had  gained  possi}>ly 
a  few  ounces  in  weight ;  the  chronically  indolent  and 
malingerers  still  existed  to  remind  us  hy  their  aspects  of 
misery  that  thev  were  not  suita])le  for  the  lonij  and 
desperate  journey  yet  hefore  us.  We  expected  all  this. 
The  long  journey  to  Yamhuya  and  ])ack,  1,070  miles, 
couM  never  he  perfoi-med  })y  unwilling  men.  It  would 
})e  volunteers,  tired  ])y  interest,  stimulated  by  the 
knowledge  that,  this  one  task  ended,  forest  miseries, 
famine,  damp,  rain,  mud,  gloom,  vegetable  diet, 
poisoned  arrows,  would  be  things  and  griefs  of  the 
past ;  and  then  the  joys  of  the  grass  land,  divine  light, 
brightness  and  warmth  of  full  dav,  careering  of  grass 
l)efore  the  refreshing  gales,  the  consolation  of  knowing 
that  heaven  is  above,  and  the  earth,  yet  full  of  glad 
life,  glowinii' with  beneficence  and  l)landness,  ever  before 
them.  Oh,  gracious  Ood  !  hasten  the  day.  But  can 
l)laek  men,  the  "  ))rutes,"  "'  niggers,"  "  black  devils,"  feel 
so  ?     AVe  shall  see. 

One  crop  of  Indian  corn  liad  been  harvested,  and  was 


THE  FAITHFUL   ZANZIItAHIH. 


4'.: 


stored  siiuf^ly  in  oi-jinuries,  tlio  fields  were  hcing  piv- 
jMircd  anew  for  re|)I{intin«^,  the  haiiana  plaiitJiliuus  still 
fuiiiislie<l  unlimited  supplies  of  food,  the  sweet  potatoes 
grew  wild  in  various  plaees,  and  there  was  a  fair  stock 
of  heans. 

The  niali(;ious  dwarfs  (the  Wand)utti)  had  paid  noc- 
turnal visits,  and  rava<j^ed  somewhat  the  corn  h.'lds,  and 
liieut.  Stairs,  witli  a  few  (rhoi(te  spirits  of  the  j^arrison, 
had  given  chase  to  the  marauders  and  had  routed  them, 
losing  one  man  in  the  action,  hut  scaring  the  undersized 
thieves  eti'ectually. 

The  Fort  now  contained  1  1 1)  Zanzil>arisof  the  Advance, 
four  of  l^hnin  l*aslia's  soldieis,  ninety-eight  Madi  carriers, 
and  three  whites  from  the  Alhert  Nyanza.  hesides  fifty- 
seven  Zaii  iharis  and  Souchmese,  and  two  cheers  who 
formed  the  garrison  — total,  28.S  .souls.  It  was  out  of 
this  immher  we  were  to  form  a  column  of  Zanzihari 
volunteers  and  Madi  carriers  to  hasten  to  the  relief  of 
Major  Bartteh)t  and  the  Hear  (V)lunni. 

After  a  two  days'  rest  a  general  muster  was  made. 
The  necessities  of  our  condition  were  explained  aloud  to 
them;  our  white  brothers  were  labouring  under  (Jod 
ahme  knew  what  dithculties-  -difficulties  that  ap{)eared 
greater  to  them  than  they  did  to  us,  inasnuK^h  as  we 
had  gone  througli  them  and  survived,  and  could  afford 
to  make  light  of  them.  For  knowledge  would  teach  us 
to  he  more  prudent  of  our  rations,  where  to  refresh  our 
jaded  bodies,  and  when  to  hasten  through  the  inter- 
vening wildernesses,  husbanding  our  resources.  Our 
meeting  would  rejoice  our  poor  friends,  distressed  by 
our  long  absence,  nmX  our  good  news  would  reanimate 
the  most  feeble  and  encourage  the  despairing.  They 
all  knew  what  treasures  of  cloth  and  beads  were  in 
charge  of  the  Rear  C-olumn.  We  could  not  carrv  all,  as 
indeed  there  was  no  need  for  so  uuich.  How  could  it 
better  be  bestowed  than  on  the  tireless  faithful  fellows 
who  had  taken  their  master  twi(^e  to  the  Nyanza  and 
back  to  his  long-lost  friends  1  "  I  pray  you,  then,  come 
to  my  side  ye  that  are  willing,  and  ye  that  prefer  to 
stay  in  the  Fort  remain  in  the  ranks." 


IMSH, 

June  «. 
Fort    Umliu 


4r.H 


IN   DA  UK  EST  AFIilVA, 


h  \- 


1HH8.  Exultln<jf  in  tlicir  lusty  .streM<;th,  porfcct  licalth.  Jiiul 

Jun.'«.    jii  ^j„.j,.  {i('kiio\vl('(li>(»(l  wcH'tli,  107  men  cried  aloud,  '"To 

Fort  lioilo.   ,1        \i     •        •  ''     1.  'p      .lI        \i     ■        I  "'  1  i  "1 

the  Aliijor!  '  Lo  tlie  Major  I  and  sprang  to  my  side, 
leaviiiii  «»nly  six,  who  wei'e  really  indisposed  hy  illness 
and  nrowi?)^-  ulceis,  in  their  places. 

Those  who  understand  men  will  reconni/c  some 
human  merits  exhihited  on  this  occasi(?n,  thou;^h  others 
may  l)e  as  l)lin«l  in  [)erceivin<!;  the  finer  traits  in  human 
nature,  as  there  are  many  utterly  unaltle  to  perceive  \\\ 
a  picture  the  touches  which  hetray  the  masterful  hand 
of  a  i^reat  paintei",  or  in  a  poem  the  yrace  and  smooth- 
ness, comhined  with  vi^jjour  an<l  truth,  of  the  true  })oet. 

After  selectin<;"  out  a  few  of  the  garrison  to  re])lace 
those  unahle  to  nntlertake  the  lono  march  Itefore  us, 
thcM'e  remained  oidy  to  distribute  twenty-five  days' 
rations  of  Indian  corn  to  each  mend)er  of  the  Kelief 
Konte,  and  to  advise  that  in  addition  each  man  and  liov 
should  prepaie  as  nmch  plantain  flour  as  he  could 
carry 

Until  the  evening'  of  the  15th  of  .lune  all  hands  were 
cm^a^cd  in  reducinii;  the  hard  corn  with  pestle  and 
mortar  and  sieve  into  flour,  or  corn  rice,  called  "  grits. " 
in  peelin<>'  the  plantains,  slicin<;',  dryin<;  them  on  woo*i 
ujratin*;'  over  a  slow  fire,  and  poundin<;  them  into  fine 
flour.  1.  on  my  part,  besides  arranging  the  most  need- 
ful necessaries  recjuired  for  general  uses,  had  many  j)er- 
sonal  details  to  attend  to,  such  as  repairs  of  pantahtoiis. 
shoes,  chair,  unduella,  rain-coat,  etc. 

My  intention  was  to  conduct  the  Relief  Force  in 
person,  unattended  ])y  any  officers,  for  many  reasons, 
but  muiniy  because  eveiy  European  implied  increase  of 
baggage,  which  was  now  re<juired  to  be  of  the  very 
smallest  limit  consistent  with  the  general  safety. 
Besides,  liieut.  Stairs,  in  my  opinion,  deserved  rest  after 
his  tri})  to  Ipoto  to  bring  the  steel  boat  to  Fort  iJodo. 
and  his  journey  to  Ugarrowwa's  was  to  conduct  tlic 
('(mvalescents.  Captain  Nelson,  ever  since  the  lattei- 
ii])er,    1 887,   had    l)een    ; 


Sep 


)ject 


varying  complaints-  first  ulcers,  then  a  general  debility 
which  almost  threatened  his  life,  then   skin  eruptions, 


.'ill. 


"  7^  J  ND  y  "    77/ A'   FOX-  TElilt  li:U. 


450 


I  l>v  illness 


lunil)a<i«t,  tender  feet,  and  tits  of  ohstiimte  ',\<x\\q.  To  ii 
person  in  such  a  vitiated  condition  of  Mood  a  journey  of 
the  kind  alxjut  t<)  he  uiuleitaken  \V(»nld  d<tid»tless  j)rove 
fatal.  Dr.  Pai'ke.  the  only  other  ottieer  availini;,',  was 
needed  for  the  sick  at  the  Foit.  as  in  truth  the  entire 
li'arrison  (tonsistecl  maiidy  of  people  retpiirini;  medical 
atten«lance  and  treatment. 

With  orcat  ditticulty  we  were  aide  to  select  fourteen 
men  of  the  garrison  to  accompany  Captain  Nelson  as  far 
as  Ipoto,  to  convev  the  dozen  loads  of  haiii'asj'e  still 
remainin<jj  there  ;  hut  as  we  were  ahout  to  start,  the 
Captain  was  prostrated  with  anothei-  attack  of  inter- 
mittent fever,  and  a  stranue  swelling!;  <>f  the  hand,  which 
made  it  neeessary  for  Dr.  Parke  to  re{)lace  him  for  this 
short  journey. 

The  faithful  little  fox-terrier  "  Kandy,"  which  had 
home  the  fati,i!,ues  of  the  douhle  march  to  the  Alhei't 
Nyanza  so  well,  and  had  heen  such  a  u'ood  friend  to  us 
in  an  hour  of  great  need,  and  had  heconie  the  pet  of 
every  one,  though  "  Han«ly  "  would  not  permit  a  Zan- 
zihnri  to  approach  me  unannounced,  was  committed  to 
the  care  of  Lieutenant  Stairs,  in  the  hope  of  saving 
him  the  thousand-mile  joui'ney  now  before  us.  Hut 
the  poor  (h)g  misjudged  my  purpose,  and  I'esolutely  re- 
fused his  food  fr<mi  the  moment  1  left  him,  and  on 
the  third  day  after  my  departure  he  died  of  a  hntken 
heart. 

Upon  carefully  considering  the  state  of  the  Fort,  and 
the  c(mdition  of  its  garrison,  and  the  capacity  of  its 
(.V)mman(hint,  lieut.  Stairs,  who  would  he  assisted  by 
(^aptain  Nelson  and  Dr.  Parke,  I  felt  the  utmost 
assurance  that,  with  sixty  rifles  and  al»un<bint  stores  of 
ammunition,  they  were  invulnerahle  from  any  attack  of 
forest  natives,  however  strong  their  forces  might  he.  A 
wide  and  deep  ditch  ran  I'cuind  two-thirds  of  it.  At 
each  of  its  angles  a  commanding  platform,  closely  fenced, 
had  been  erected,  with  ap[)roaclies  and  flanks  duly  under 


.June  H. 

Fnlt  r.o.io 


•iHe 


d 


rano;e,  and  eacn  anoie  wasc^onnec 


h 


'ted  by 


I  contnnious 


stockade,  well  banked  w^th  earth  without  and  supported 
within  by  a  lirm  bancpiette.     The  main  roads  leading  to 


460 


IN  DAIlh'KST  AFltlCA. 


1888. 
June  M. 

Fort  boilii 


>  \' 


{\w  Koi't  woro  also  ti'iiccd,  to  serve  MS  «)l».stnicti(His.  The 
villn<i;<'  iiilmlutctl  hy  the  «^^anison  lay  on  tlic  side 
mi  protects  1  l>y  the  diteli,  and  was  arranged  in  \'  sliape, 
to  mask  the  eiitiance  into  tlie  Kort.  I)ni'ini»'  davliuht 
no  liostih'  party  coidd  appi-oacli  witliin  150  yards  of 
the  Fort  mipeiceive«l.  At  ni<^lit  ten  sentries  wouhl  l»e 
Hurtieient  precaution  against  surprise  and  Hre. 

Tliis  proteetion  was  not  so  nuieh  (h'sioiied  auainst 
natives  ah)ne  us  against  a  possil»le  and  l)y  no  means 
unlikely  ('ond>ination  of  Manyueiiia  with  natives.  As 
mu(^li  mi^ht  be  ur<j;ed  for  the  likelihood  of  such  a 
eond>ination  asa^^ainst  it ;  hut  it  is  a  totally  wronuj  poliev 
to  l>e  idle  hefore  an  uncertain  issue,  and  of  the  hundreds 
of  camps  or  stations  estahlished  hy  me  in  Africa,  noi 
one  has  heen  selected  without  considering  every  near  or 
remote  continuencv. 

I  was  ahout  to  leave  Fort  Bodo  without  the  least 
anxiety  respecting  the  natives  and  Manyuema,  as  also 
without  fear  of  incompati])ility  between  the  officers  and 
Zaijziharis.  The  officers  were  now  uc(|uainted  with  the 
language  (jf  their  people,  as  well  as  with  their  various 
habits,  tempers,  and  moods,  and  the  men  could  ecpially 
distinguish  those  of  their  officers.  Both  parties  also 
believed  that  their  stay  at  Fort  Bodo  was  not  likely  to 
be  protracted,  as  the  I'asha  had  pnmiised  to  visit  them 
within  two  months,  and  from  a  visit  of  one  of  his 
considerate  and  thoughtful  character  they  might  surely 
infer  they  would  derive  pleasure  as  well  as  profit.  On 
his  return  to  the  Nyanza  they  could  acc(mij)any  him, 
abandoning  the  Fort  to  its  fate. 

Of  the  fidelity  of  the  Zanzibaris  there  was  also  no 
room  for  doubt.  However  tyrannical  or  unjust  the 
officers  might  be — an  extreme  conjectuie  — the  Zanzi- 
baris could  only  choose  between  them  on  the  (me  hand, 
and  the  cannibalism  of  the  Wambutti  and  the  incarnate 
cruelty  of  the  JNbmyuema  on  the  other. 

Would  that  I  could  have  felt  the  same  confidence 
and  contentment  of  mind  regarding  the  Rear  (\)lunni. 
With  the  lapse  of  months  had  been  the  increase  of  my 
anxiety.     As  week  after  w^eek  had  flown  by,  my  faith 


>  (. 


as  TIM.  I  TES    0  F  JO  ( 7/  XF  VS. 


4fll 


in  its  sati'ty  Inul  licconic  \v(^.,  ihmI  niul  my  juiml 
l"iiti<;iu'(l — with  the  i'ontimuil  <M»iitli('t  <>t'  its  hopes  and 
(louhts,  witli  the  crejition  of  ingenious  and  Hue  thi'oiies, 
and  tlieir  no  K'ss  sni>th'  (U'niolition,  was,  perforce,  eon- 
strained  for  its  own  rep<>se  and  healtli  to  foihear 
thonujht  and  take  iefuii;e  in  the  tinn  heiief  that  th<' 
Major  was  still  at  Yamhuya,  hnt  abandoned.  Our 
duty  was,  thei'ef«)re,  to  proceed  to  Yand>uya,  select  tiie 
most  necessary  material  e(jual  to  our  carrying"  force,  and 
march  hack  to  the  Nyanza  again  with  what  speed  we 
mi,u;ht. 

On  this  supposition  [  framecl  an  estimate  of  the  time 
to  he  occu[)ied  hy  the  journey,  and  handed  it,  with  a 
letter  of  instructions,  to  the  (\)mmandant  of  the  Kort 
for  his  use  : — 


IHSH. 
.llllK-  A. 

Furt  lioda 


"  Wliori'iis  the  distance  between  Fort  Hodo  to  the  Nyanza  is  V2^}  miles, 
iiinl  1ms  been  performed  in  2o8  hours'  marciiing,  or  7t  days,  inclusive  of 
lialts. 
"  Whereas  wo  travelled  the  distance  from  Yamhuya  to  Ugarrowwa's 

in  2S9  hours  = 74  days. 

"  Whereas  Liciutcnaut  Stairs  marched  from  Ugarrowwa's 

to  Fort  Uodo  in 26    „ 

ino    „ 

"  Therefore  our  journey  to  Yambnya  will  probably  oocnjty  100  days, 
and  the  same  period  back.  From  June  IGth,  18HH,  to  January  2nd, 
li'Hy,  is  20(1  days.  We  may  reasonably  be  expected  on  January  2nd 
at  Fort  liodo,  and  on  the  22ud  of  the  sjime  montJi  at  Lake  All>ert. 

"  Or  thus :  Starting  June  IGth,  1«88 :— 


"  Fort  Bodo  to     . 

.     Ugarrowwa's 

.     July    5th 

Thence  to 

.     Avisibba    . 

.     „    2r,th 

>>        )» 

.     Mupe 

.     Aug.  Utli 

»♦        »» 

.     Yamlmya  . 

.     Sept.   8rd 

Halt  10  days      . 

— 

„     IHth 

Itetuni  to 

.     Mu])e 

.     Oct.     Hrd 

}f               9>                        • 

.     Panga  Falls 

.       „      2;ird 

99                 »»                          • 

.     Fort  bodo 

.     JJec.  22n(l 

Halt  5  days 

— 

.        „     27th 

Thence  to 

.     Albert  Nyanza 

.    Jan,  T  •,  1 

1889." 


The  last  evening  of  my  stay  at  Fort  Bodo,  wliile  re- 
citing over  the  several  charges,  general  and  personal, 
entrusted  to  him,  Lieut.  Stairs  suggested  that  perhaps 
the   non-arrival   of  the   steamer  Stanley  at   Yani])uya 


\4 


t 

I  If 


m  • 

i     ■ 


i^ 


i  ? 


I|!'!' 


Ill      i 


•  i 


1888. 
June  H. 

Fort  IJodo. 


462 


IN  DABKEHT  AFRICA. 


ncoounted  for  the  utter  sileiK^e  respectino-  the  Rear 
Column.      I  then  replied  in  the  following  terms  : — 

"  That  is  rather  a  cruel  suggestion,  my  dear  sir  ;  that 
is  the  least  1  fear,  for  as  well  as  I  was  ahle  I  provided 
aoainst  that  accident.  You  must  know  that  wlien  the 
Sfmtli'i/  departed  from  the  Yambuya  on  the  28th  of  June, 
1  delivered  several  letters  to  the  captain  of  the  steamer. 
One  was  to  mv  uood  friend  Lieut.  Liehrichts,  (Governor 
of  Stanley  Pool  district,  charging  him,  for  old  friend- 
ship's sjtke,  to  despatch  the  steamer  back  as  soon  as 
possible  with  our  goods  and  reserve  amnumition. 

"Another  was  to  Mr.  Swinburne,  my  former  secretary, 
who  was  the  soul  of  fidelity,  to  the  effect  that  in  case 
tlie  StanL't/  met  with  such  an  accident  as  to  prevent 
her  return  to  Yambuya,  he  would  be  pleased  to  sub- 
stitute the  steamer  Florida  for  her,  as  the  owners  were 
business  men,  and  full  compensation  in  cash,  which  I 
guaranteed,  would  find  as  ready  an  acceptance  with 
tliem  as  profits  from  the  ivory  trade. 

"  A  third  letter  was  to  Mr.  Antoine  Greshoff,  the  agent 
at  Stanley  Pool  for  the  Dutch  house  at  Banana,  to  the 
effect  that,  faibng  both  steamers  Stanlej/  and  Florida, 
he  would  find  a  lai'ge  ready  money  profit  if  he  would 
undertake  the  transport  of  the  stores  of  the  Expedi- 
tion from  Stanley  Pool,  and  128  men  frcmi  Bolobo, 
to  Yambuya.  Whatever  reasonable  freight  and  fare 
he  would  charge,  innnediate  payment  was  guaranteed 
))y  me. 

"  A  fourth  letter  was  to  our  officer  in  charge  at 
Stanley  Pool,  Mr.  John  Rose  Ti'oup,  to  the  effect  that, 
failing  tlie  steamers  Stankn/,  Florida,  and  Mr.  (ireshoff's. 
he  was  to  use  his  utmost  powers  and  means  to  collect 
]>oats  ;u'd  canoes,  at  whatever  cost,  ready  at  hand,  and 
('(mimunicate  with  Messrs.  Ward  and  Bonny  at  Bolobo. 
Mr.  Ward  at  Bolobo  was  also  enjoined  to  do  the  Hkc 
in  Uyanzi,  and  man  these  vessels  witli  tlie  Zanzibaris 
and  natives,  and  trans[)oi't  by  stages  the  vari<»us  stores 
to  the  intrenched  canij)  at  Yandtuya.  This  last  would 
H(^arcely  be  needed,  as  it  is  e.xtreuM'ly  impi'obabh*  that 
from   June    2Htli,    1887.    to    June    Kith,     1888-  nearly 


SPKrrLATfNG   AliOUT   THE  MAJOR. 


MM\ 


no-   the   Recar 


S'uaraiitecd 


twelve  moiiths^ — neither  the  Stdulei/,   the   Florida,  nor      ihmh. 
Mr.    (Jre.shott's    steamer    wcmhl     he    {ivail{il)k'    for    our 


serviee. 


.llllK'  H. 

Kort  Bodo. 


"  Besides,  you  must  rememher  tluit  hotli  <'a[)taiii 
and  engineer  of  the  Sfanlc//  were  eaeli  promised  a 
reward  of  €50  sterling  if  they  wouhl  arrive  within 
reasonahle  time.  Such  amounts  to  poor  men  are  not 
trifles,  and   I   feel  assured   that  if  they  have  not  heen 


len- 


prevented     hy    their    superiors    from    fulfilling     tl 
promise,  all  goods  and  men  arrived  safely  at  Yamhuya." 
"  You    still   think,    then,    tluit    in    s(mie    way    Major 
Barttelot  is  the  cause  of  this  (Udav  ?  " 


es,  ne  am 


I  T 


ippu 


Tih.     The  latter  of  course  ha;- 


])roken  his  contract.  There  is  no  (h)ul)t  of  that.  For 
if  he  had  joined  his  ()()()  carriers,  or  half  that  number, 
with  our  Zanziharis,  we  should  have  heard  of  them 
h)ng  ago,  either  at  Ipoto,  when  you  returned  there  for 
the  boat,  or  later,  when  you  reached  l^garrowwa's, 
JMarch  HJtli  this  year.  The  letter  of  September  18th, 
1887,  when  only  eighty-one  days  absent  ihnu  Yam- 
buya,   and  which  the    Arab    promised    without    (h'lay, 

Duld  certainly  luive  produced  an  answer  by  this  if 
the  Major  had  departed  from  Yambuya.     Those  carriers, 

11  choice  men,  well  armed,  acciuainted  with  the  i-oad. 


w 


a 


despatched  with  you  to  Ugarrowwa's  on  February  l(>th, 


and  seen   l»v  vou   sa 


dely 


across 


tl 


le   river  onnosire    liis 


PP 


h 


stati<>n  on  the  Kith  of  the  following  month,  would 
surely  by  this  have  returned  if  the  Kear  Cohunn  was 
only  ji  few  weeks' march  from  Yambuya  ;  therefoi'e  I  am 
positive  in  my  mind  that  Major  Barttelot  is  in  some 
way  or  other  the  cause  of  the  dehiy." 

"  Well,  I  am  sure,  however  you  may  think  the 
Ahijol-  is  disloyal,  1  ." 

"  I  )isloyal  !     Why,  whoever  [)ut  you  in   min<l  of"  that 


woni  !* 


d  1 


iich  a  woril  has  no  connection   with   anv   man 


th 


on  this  Ex|)e(lition,  1  hope.  Disloyal!  Why  should 
any  one  be  disloyal  (     And  disloyal  to  wh<»m  T' 

'■  Well,  not  disloyal,  but  negligent,  or  backward  in 
pressing  on  ;    I  fe(>l  sure  he  has  done  his  best.'' 

"No  doubt  he  has  done  his  level  best,  but   as  1  wrote 


464 


IN  DAIiKEST  AFllICA. 


I.:! 


i        l 


1888.  to  him  on  September  I8tli,  in  my  letter  to  be  given  to 
June  8.  Yixm.  by  Ugarrowwa's  carriers,  it  is  his  '  rashness  and  in- 
ert Bodo.  experience  I  cb-ead,'  not  Iiis  disloyalty  or  negligence.  I 
fear  the  eH'ect  of  indiscriminate  punishments  on  his 
people  has  been  such  that  the  vicinity  of  Stanley  Falls 
and  the  Arahs  has  proved  an  irresistible  temptation  to 
desert.  If  our  letters  miscarry  in  any  way,  our  long 
a])sence — twelve  months  nearly  to  this  day,  and  by  the 
time  we  reach  Yambuya  fourteen  months  at  least ! — 
will  })e  a  theme  for  all  kinds  of  reports.  When  the 
Zanzibaris  from  Bohjbo  reached  him  he  ought  to  have 
had  over  200  carriers.  In  twelve  months — assuming 
that  the  goods  and  men  arrived  in  due  date,  and  tliat, 
finding  Tij)pu-Tib  had  broken  faith,  he  began  the  move 
as  he  promised — he  would  be  at  Panga  Falls ;  but  if 
the  severe  work  has  demoralized  him,  and  he  has  de- 
moralized his  carriers,  well,  then,  he  is  strandetl  fai- 
below  Panga  Falls — probably  at  Wasp  Rapids,  probably 
at  Mupe  or  at  Banalya,  or  at  Gwengwere  Rapids— with 
l)ut  100  despairing  carriers  and  his  Soudanese,  and  he  is 
perforce  compelled  by  the  magnitude  of  his  task  to  halt 
and  wait.  I  liave  tried  every  possible  solution,  and  this 
is  the  one  on  which  my  opinion  becomes  fixed." 

"Do  you  allow  only   100  left?     Surely  that  is  very 
ow. 

"  Why  '{  I  estimate  his  loss  at  what  we  have  lost 
-  about  50  per  cent.  We  have  lost  slightly  less  ;  for 
from  our  original  force  of  889  souls  there  are  203  still 
alive  : — 4  at  Nyanza,  60  in  the  Fort,  119  going  with  me, 
and  20  couriers. 

"  Yes ;  but  the  Rear  Column  has  not  endureil  a 
famine  such  as  we  have  had." 

"  Nor  have  they  enjoyed  the  abundance  that  we 
have  fed  upon  for  the  last  seven  montlis,  therefore  we 
are  perhaps  eijual.  But  it  is  useless  to  speculate  further 
upon  these  points. 

"  The  success  which  was  expected  from  my  plans  has 
eluded  me.  The  Pasha  never  visited  the  south  end  oi' 
the  Lake,  {is  1  suggested  to  him  in  my  letter  from 
Zanzibar.     This  has  cost  us  four  months,  and  of  Barttelot 


jx,'sTJiL't"noys  tu  lieut.  istairs. 


4H5 


)  1)6  given  to 
mess  and  iii- 
egligence.  1 
lents  on  his 
Stanley  Falls 
emptation  to 
ay,  our  long 
',  and  by  the 
I  at  least ! — 
When  the 
ight  to  have 
IS — assuming 
ite,  and  that, 
^an  the  move 
^'alls;  hut  if 
1  he  has  de- 
stranded  hir 
ids,  probably 
Rapids — witli 
3se,  and  he  is 
s  task  to  hah 
tion,  and  this 
ed." 
that  is  very 

/e  have  lost 
tly  less  ;  for 
are  203  still 
>ing  with  me, 

:    endured   a 

ice  that  we 
therefore  we 
ulate  further 

ny  plans  has 

■;outh  end  of 

letter   from 

of  Barttelot 


there  is  not  a  word.     Our  men  have  fallen  by  scores, 
and  wliere\er  1   turn  there  is  no  comfort  to  be  derived 


from 


tl 


le    [)rospe 


)spect.      Evil  han<»s    over  this   forest  as  a 


1888. 

Junt!  8. 
Foit  limlo. 


pall  over  the  dead  ;  it  is  like  a  region  accursed  for 
crimes;  whoever  enters  within  its  circle  becomes  subject 
to  Divine  wrath.  All  we  can  say  to  extenuate  any 
error  that  we  have  fallen  into  is,  that  our  motives  are 
pure,  and  that  our  purposes  are  neither  mercenary  nor 
selfish.  Our  atonement  shall  be  a  sweet  offering,  the 
performance  of  our  duties.  Let  us  bear  all  that  may 
be  put  upon  us  like  men  bound  to  the  sacrific^e,  without 
one  thought  of  the  results.  Each  day  lias  its  weight  of 
troubles.  Whv  shouM  we  think  of  the  distresses  of 
to-morrow  ?  Let  me  depart  from  you  with  the  convic- 
tion that  ill  my  absence  you  will  not  swerve  from  your 
duty  here,  and  I  need  not  be  anxious  for  you.  If  the 
Pasha  and  Jephson  arrive  with  carriers,  it  is  better  for 
you,  fen-  them,  and  for  me  that  you  go ;  if  they  do  not 
come,  stay  here  until  my  return.  Give  me  a  reasoned )le 
time,  over  and  above  the  date— the  l'^2nd  of  Deceml)er; 
then  if  I  return  not,  consult  with  your  friends,  and 
afterwards  with  your  men,  and  do  what  is  best  and 
wisest.  As  for  us,  we  shall  march  back  to  the  place 
where  Barttelot  may  be  found,  even  as  far  as  Yambuya, 
but  to  no  place  'oeyond,  though  he  may  have  taken 
everything  away  with  him  down  the  Congo.  If  he  has 
left  Yumliuya  and  wandered  far  away  south-east  instead 
of  east,  I  will  follow  him  up  and  overt<ike  him,  and 
will  cut  through  the  forest  in  the  luot^t  direct  way  to 
Fort  Bodo.  You  must  imagine  all  this  to  have  taken 
place  if  I  do  not  arrive  in  December,  and  consider  that 
many  other  things  may  have  occurred  to  detain  us 
l>efore  you  yield  to  the  belief  that  we  have  parted  for 
ever." 

The  following  is  the  letter  of  instructions  to  Lieut. 
Stairs  :— - 

"  Fort  Bodo,  Central  Afrioa, 
<.j^iR_  "/«//el3//i.  1888. 

"During  my  absence  with  tlio  advance  i)arty  of  tlie  Expedition, 
now  about  to  return  to  the  assistance  of  Major   Barttelot  and  licar 

VUL.    I.  E  K 


t 


400 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


Mrv 


I-    1 


1888. 
Jiiue  13. 

Fort  Bodo. 


Column,  I  appoint  you  Conunaudant  of  Fort  Bodo.  I  loavc  with  yon  a 
garrison,  inclusive  of  .sick,  nuniberiiif?  nearly  .sixty  rifles.  The  men 
mainly  are  not  of  the  calibre  retiuisite  for  a  f^arrison  in  a  dangerous 
country.  Still  they  can  all  shoot  otf  their  rifles,  are  in  good  condition, 
and  you  liave  abundance  of  annnnnition.  My  i^rincipal  reliance  is  on 
the  Commandant  himself.  It"  the  chief  is  ac^tive  and  wary,  our  fort  is 
safe,  and  no  combination  of  natives  can  oust  the  garrison  from  its  shelter. 
I  need  not  tell  you  that  I  leave  you  with  contidence. 

"  l{esj)ecting  the  improvements  to  be  made  in  the  Fort,  which  I  have 
verbally  explained  to  you,  I  w(mld  suggest  that  as  the  Fort  when 
completed  will  be  more  extensive  than  at  ])rescnt,  you  elect  about 
twenty  or  thirty  of  the  more  decent  and  cleanly  of  the  men  to  occupy  the 
buildings  in  the  Fort,  until  such  time  as  they  arc  wanted  for  other 
persons,  because — 

"  1st.  You  are  in  no  danger,  then,  of  l)eing  cut  off  by  a  daring  foe  from 
your  garrison. 

"  "ind  One-third  of  your  men  will  be  then  within  the  gates  ready  at 
your  most  sudden  call. 

"8rd.  The  buildings  within  the  Fort  will  be  kept  dry  and  in  a  habit- 
able condition  bv  being  occupied. 

"  Corn.  Begin  ])lanting  corn  about  July  15th.  1st  July  you  should 
begin  hoeing  uj),  clearing  the  around. 

"  Bananas.  I  am  exceedingly  anxious  about  the  bananas.  Twice  a 
"week  there  should  be  sent  a  strong  patrol  round  the  plantations  to  scare 
the  natives,  and  also  elephants.  For  the  latter  half- a-dozen  tires  at  a^ 
many  points  might  suffice. 

"An  otficer  should  be  sent  out  with  the  patrol,  to  have  a  reliable 
report  of  what  transj)ires;  should  he  rei)ort  the  liananas  as  getting 
scanty,  then  you  should  begin  rationing  your  people,  always  obtaining 
your  sup])lies  by  detachments  from  the  most  distant  points  of  the 
plantations.  Let  the  bananas  nearest  the  Fort  reach  maturity,  juf^t  as 
you  would  your  corn.  Along  the  main  roads  it  would  also  be  well  to 
leave  ])lantations  alone  until  they  mature. 

"I  leave  Captain  Nelson  as  second  in  command,  to  take  charge  when 
you  are  incapacitated  by  illness  or  accident. 

"  Dr.  T.  H.  Parke,  A.M.I).,  remains  here  as  surgeon  to  take  charge  of 
the  sick. 

"  It  is,  of  course,  impossible  to  say  when  we  shall  return,  as  we  have 
not  the  least  idea  whereabouts  the  Rear  Colunm  is,  but  we  shall  do  our 
best.  If  the  Major  is  still  at  Yambuya,  you  may  expect  us  in  December 
sometime. 

"I  exjjcct  Emin  Pasha  and  Mr.  Jei)hson  in  here  about  two  months 
hence  — say  alK)ut  the  middle  of  August. 

"  Shoulil  Mr.  Jephson  appear  with  a  sufficient  force  of  carriers,  then  I 
should  recommend  the  evacuation  of  the  Fort  and  take  the  garrison,  and 
accompany  Mr.  Jephson  to  the  Nyanza,  and  put  yourself  antl  force  at  the 
disjjosition  of  Emiu  Pasha  until  my  return.  As  I  come  eastward  I 
pro))ose  following  a  northerly  and  easterly  track  from  the  Nepoko  and 
make  for  the  Ituri  ferry. 

"  In  order  that  on  reaching  the  Ituri  ferry  I  may  know  whether  you 
have  evacuated  the  Fort  or  not,  please  remember  that  on  the  right  bank 
of  the  river,  iwxxv  the  ferry,  there  are  a  number  of  very  tall  trees,  on 
which  you  could  carve  a  number  of  broad  arrows,  which  would  indicate 
that  you  had  pa.ssed.  Y'ou  could  also  carve  date  of  crossing  the  Ituri  on 
a  conspicuous  place  near  the  ferry.  This  would  save  me  a  great  deal  of 
time  and  anxiety  resj^cting  you. 

"  As  our  twenty  couriers  left  here  ICth  February,  it  will   be  four 


INSTRUCTIONS    TO   LIEUT.   STAIRS. 


4f)7 


I  daring  foe  from 
lie  gates  ready  at 
y  and  in  a  habit- 
July  you  should 

lianas.  Twice  a 
ntations  to  scare 
■dozen  fires  at  as 

have  a  reliable 
mas  as  getting 
ilways  obtaining 
it  points  of  the 
naturity,  juf>t  as 
I  also  be  well  to 

xke  charge  when 

)  take  charge  of 

turn,  as  we  have 

we  shall  do  our 

us  in  December 

)ut  two  months 


5w  whether  you 
1  the  right  bank 
ry  tall  trees,  on 
I  would  indicate 
ing  the  Ituri  on 
e  a  great  deal  of 

t  will    be  four 


months,  June  16th,  since  they  left.  If  Jephsoii  ai)])ears  in  about  two 
months,  say,  the  time  will  then  be  about  six  months  since  the  couriers 
left  Fort  Bodo— quite  sufficient  time  to  dispel  all  doubt  about  tliem. 

"  I  wisli  you  and  your  associates  good  health  and  safe  arrival  at  the 
Nyanza.  On  our  part  we  will  do  our  work  with  what  celerity  circum- 
stances will  permit. 

"  Yours  faithfully, 
"(Signed)      Henry  M.  Stanley, 

"  Commanding  E.  P.  R.  Expedition. 
"  To  Lieut.  W.  G.  Stairs, 

"  Commandant  Fort  Bodo." 


1888. 
June  13. 

Fort  Bodo, 


r 


!      * 


468 


IN  DAUKE!6T  AFIilfA. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

ARRIVAL  AT  BAXALYA  :  BARTTELOT  DEAD. 

The  Relief  Force  —  The  difficulties  of  mfirohing — We  reach  Ipoto  — 
Kiloii^^o  Loiiga  apologif^es  for  the  behaviour  of  his  Manyuenia — The 
cliief  returns  us  some  of  our  rifles — Dr.  Parke  and  fourteen  men 
return  to  Fort  Bodo — Ferrying  across  the  Ituri  river—  Indications  of 
some  of  our  old  camps — We  unearth  our  buried  stores — Tl.o 
Manyuenia  escort — Bridging  the  Lcnda  river — The  famished  Ma  li — 
Accidents  and  deaths  among  the  Zanzibaris  and  Madi— My  little 
fox-terrier  "  Randy  " — The  vast  clearing  of  Ujangwa— Native  women 
guides — We  reach  Ugarrowv.a's  ab.andoned  station— Welcome  food 
at  Arairi  Falls — Xavabi  Falls — Halt  at  Avamburi  landing-place — 
Death  of  a  Madi  chief — Our  buried  stores  near  Basopo  unearthed 
and  stolen — Juma  and  Xassib  wander  away  from  the  column — The 
evils  of  forest  marching — Conversation  between  my  tent-boy,  »SalJ, 
and  a  Zanzibari — Numerous  bats  at  Mabengu  village — We  reach 
Avisibba,  and  find  a  young  Zanzibari  girl — Nejambi  Rapids  and 
Panga  Falls — The  natives  of  Panga — At  Mugwye's  we  disturb  an 
intended  feast — We  overtake  Ugarrowwa  at  Wasi>  Rapids  and  find 
our  couriers  and  some  deserters  in  his  camp — The  head  courier 
relates  his  tragic  story — Amusing  letter  from  Dr.  Parke  to  Major 
Barttelot — Progress  of  our  canoe  flotilla  down  the  river — The 
Batunda  natives— Our  progress  since  leaving  the  Nyanza— Thoujihts 
about  the  Rear  Column— Desolation  along  the  banks  of  the  river — 
We  reach  Banalya— Meeting  with  Bouny— The  Major  is  dead — 
Banalya  Camp, 

1888.  ^^^'  ^liG  16tli  of  June,  in  the  early  morning  we  set  out 
Juue  10.  from  Fort  Bodo  towards  Yambuya  in  excellent  spirits, 
Fort  Bodo.  lomlly  cheered  l.)y  the  garrison  and  with  tlie  best  wishes 
of  the  ofticers.  AVe  numbered  113  Zanzibaris,  ninety-five 
j\Iadi  carriers,  four  of  Emin  Pasha's  soldiers,  !^wo  whites 
besides  Dr.  Parke  and  his  little  l)and  of  fourteen  men, 
whose  company  we  were  to  have  as  far  as  Ipoto. 
Indekaru  was  reached  on  the  evenino-  of  the  17th,  amid 
a  heavy  storm  of  rain.  The  next  day  was  a  halt  to 
collect  more  plantains.  On  the  lUth  we  camped  at 
Ndugu-bisha,  the  day  following  at  Nzalli's.  We  had  ])y 
this  time  been  introduced  to  the  ditHculties   of  forest 


7.V  tiEAUCII   OF   TIIK  UEAU-COLUMN. 


460 


mar('liin_2f.     The  erics  of  tlie  eoluniii  leaders  recalled  iiKist     iss>(. 
2)ainfully  what  an  absence  of  seven  months  had  caused   •'""'^' -'^• 
us  almost  to  foro-et.  ■^''"'''• 

"  Red  ants  afoot  I  fjook  out  for  a  stump,  ho  !  Skewers  ! 
A  pitfall  to  riiilit !  a  burrow  to  left  !  Thorns,  thorns, 
'ware  thorns !  Those  ants ;  lo  !  a  trip]:>ino;  creeper, 
Nettles,  'ware  nettles  I  A  hole !  81ii)pery  beneath, 
beneath  I  look  out  for  mud  !  A  root  !  Red  ants  !  red 
ants  amarch  !  Look  sharp  for  ants  !  A  log  I  Skewers 
below  !"     And  so  on  from  camp  to  camj). 

jMost  of  the  villaoes  alonij'  this  route  still  stood,  but  all 
awry  and  decaying ;  reeling  from  rotten  u})rights,  the 
eavc  corners  on  the  ground,  green  mould  covering  the 
floors  within,  hollows  filled  with  slime,  and  fungi 
fiourishino-  {don<»:  the  sides,  and  jiitrous  excrescences 
abounding ;  roofs  covered  with  creepers,  nettles,  find 
prolific  gourd  vines — veritable  nests  of  ague,  into  which, 
however,  necessity  compelled  us  and  our  men  to  seek 
shelter  l)y  reason  of  excessive  fatigue,  or  imminence  of  a 
rainstorm. 

Mambunou's  was  reached  on  the  2bst,  and  on  the 
edge  of  the  Busindi  clearing  wocann)ed  on  the  following 
day.  After  forty-seven  hours  marching  from  Fort  Bodo 
we  entered  the  Arab  settlement  of  Ipoto,  where  it  will 
be  remembered  our  people,  maddened  by  distress  of 
hunger,  caused  me  such  serious  losses  of  arms  and 
ammunition.  But  the  change  in  their  condition  was  so 
jjreat,  and  their  eves  flashed  such  livelv  olances  of  scorn 
at  their  tormentors,  that  in  the  afternoon  Kilonga-Longa, 
with  his  head-men,  dreading  reprisal,  began  with  many 
apologies  for  the  behaviour  of  his  Manyuema  during  his 
absence  to  extenuate  the  heinousncss  of  their  crimes,  and 
to  offer  to  atone  for  them  as  well  as  he  was  able. 
Nineteen  Remingtons  were  laid  before  me,  out  of  thirty 
I  knew  to  be  in  their  possession.  Six  of  these  had  been 
left  as  pledges  of  payment  by  myself,  two  were  given  by 
Mr.  Stairs  acting  in  my  name,  one  was  sold  by  C'a])tain 
Nelson,  and  ten  were  sold  bv  Zanzibaris,  l)esides  eleven 
not  yet  recovered  ;  but  out  of  .SOOO  cartri<lges  and  two 
entire  cases  these  receivers  of   stolen  goods  purchased 


470 


7^  BAUKESr  AFIUCA. 


\   li 


IIM 


*!' 


I  1% 


:.(  i 


),S  k 


li 


1881^. 
Jone  21. 

Jpoto. 


from  the  starving  Zunziharis,  only  fifty  vere  returned. 
Whatever  fears  the  jManyuema  may  have  felt,  tlie  fit  time 
for  reprisal  and  retaliation  had  not  arrived,  though  fifty 
rifles  could  have  ea[)tured  the  settlement  easily,  the 
majority  of  Kilonga-Longa's  people  heing  al)sent  raiding 
eastward.  We  had  far  more  important  business  af.)ot 
than  the  destructicm  of  Ipoto,  nor  must  it  be  forgotten 
that  our  little  o-anison  at  Fort  Bodo  was  not  so  secure 
but  that  a  few  hundicdsof  men  made  desperate  by  their 
losses  miulit  not  avenue  themselves  fullv  by  a  siege  or 
midniglit  assault. 

We  therefore,  l)cnding  under  the  necessities  of  the 
occasion,  accepted  the  rifles  and  gifts  of  goat  and  rice, 
and  the  Zanziharis  were  permitted  to  sell  such  ivory  as 
they  had  packed  up  for  100  pecks  of  rice,  which  to  them 
was  most  welcome  provender. 

The  next  dav  the  chief  returned  two  more  rifles,  but 
all  my  men  l)eing  sufficiently  armed,  he  was  re(|ueste(l 
to  ret'jun  them  as  pledges,  in  addition  to  the  six 
remaining  in  his  hands,  for  payment  of  ninety  doti  of 
cloth  prcmiised  to  him  and  his  people  for  the  grudging 
and  scant  sustenance  given  to  ( -aptain  Nelson  and  Dr. 
Parke  while  they  were  compulsory  guests  of  this  ill- 
natured  c(unmunity. 

In  the  afternoon  Dr.  Parke  and  his  little  band  of 
fourteen  men  commenced  their  return  journey  to  Fort 
Bodo,  conveying  thirteen  loads,  and  bearing  the  very 
last  instructions  I  could  give. 

On  the  25th  June  we  set  out  from  Tpoto  accompanied 
by  a  guide  and  our  escort  of  fifteen  Manyuema,  who  were 
ostentatiously  detailed  for  this  duty  as  far  as  the  next 
Arab  settlement,  one  of  Ugarrowwa's  outlying  stations. 
We  arrived  at  the  Ituri  Uiver,  arid  a  canoe  capable  of 
carrying  nine  men  was  delivered  over  to  us  at  3  p.m.  to 
serve  as  the  means  of  ferriage.  As  one  trip  to  the  left 
bank  and  back  occupied  on  an  average  twenty-three 
minutes,    nioht   fell    before    a   half   of    our   force  was 


acr<  )ss 


The  work  of  ferrying  was  resumed  early  next  morning, 
and  continued  until  two  o'clock,  when  every  soul  had 


THE    WWE   UNINUAnTTED    WILDEIiNESS. 


471 


xt  morniiif»', 


crossed  execptin<r  the  Manyiiemu  escort  whose  fears  that 
sii(Men  vengeance  woiihl  he  inflicted  on  them,  caused 
tliem  to  decline  the  venture  they  had  been  ordered  to 
undertake. 

We  were  now  fairly  in  tlie  wide  uninhal)ite(l  wildei- 
ness  through  which  last  Octo])er  the  Expedition 
struggled,  gaunt  victims  of  a  merciless  famine.  No 
consideration  would  have  tempted  us  to  a  revisit  of 
these  dreadful  shades,  l)ut  that  we  fostered  a  lively 
hope  that  we  should  scxm  meet  our  returning  couriers, 
who  we  expected  wouM  gratify  us  with  news  from  the 
Majors  column.  Imhued  with  the  fond  belief  that  as 
they  had  not  arrived  at  Ipoto  we  should  meet  them 
on  this  road — none  other  being  known  to  them — we 
marched  briskly  fnmi  the  landing-place,  and  in  two  and 
threcHjuarter  hours  reached  the  camp  whence  we  had 
crossed  over  to  the  north  bank  on  the  14th  of  October 
last.  Indications  of  our  stay  here  were  yet  fresh — the 
charcoal  broad  arrows  drawn  on  the  barked  tree  stems, 
the  lead  pencil  writing  to  Kliamis  Parry  still  plainly 
legible. 

At  1.15  P.M.  of  the  28th  we  ai-rived  at  Nelson's  camp, 
opposite  the  confluence  of  the  Ihuru  with  the  Ituri,  a 
place  which  last  October  witnessed  such  death  and 
ag(my,  where  poor  Nelson  sat  so  many  hours,  so  many 
wretched  days  w4th  ulcered  feet,  w^aiting  anxiously  the 
arrival  of  news  frcmi  us,  and  where  he  was  found  bv  his 
friend  Mounteney  Jephson,  haggard,  and  reduced  by  his 
feelings  of  fcjrlornness  and  des])air  into  a  state  of  abject 
helplessness,  in  the  midst  of  his  dying  and  dead 
companions.  AVe  had  j)erformed  the  march  in  twenty 
houvs,  or  in  four  davs  inclusive  of  our  detention  while 
ferrying  with  one  small  craft.  Last  Octol)er,  despite 
our  strenuous  endeavours,  the  same  distance  had  occu- 
pied us  thirty-nine  hours'  marching,  or  thirteen  days 
inclusive  of  the  halt !  The  condition  of  the  stomach 
made  all  this  i>reat  difference. 

We  found  our  cncJu'  untouched,  though  we  had  strong 
doubts,  and  unearthed  our  buried  stents  which  Jephson's 
relief  party  was  unable  to  carry  away.  The  ammunition. 


188S. 
June  'IT). 

Ituri  Rivnr. 


«< 


In,. 


I  m ' 


ii  ^ ' 


472 


7A^   DM! K EST  AFIUrA, 


IRRo. 
June  2rt. 

Starvatiiin 
Ciiiii|i. 


iim(l»»  l»y  Kyiiocli  of  liinniii<4liani,  after  ci^lit  months' 
Ifuriul  in  tlie  sand,  sultjcct  to  tropic  (lamp  and  an  eternal 
rain,  was  not  so  nnich  injured  as  we  expected,  a  lull 
ei«j;lity  per  cent,  ot"  it  hein^'  still  sound,  an<l  the  well- 
axed  brass  cases  and  copper  caps  yet  exhibited  tlieii* 
native  ltrii>htness  an(i  nloss.  Disti'ilaitini''  1,000 
rounds  to  the  men  for  the  refilling'  of  their  [)ouches, 
selectin^H"  such  other  articles  as  were  useful,  we  made  up 
eight  loads,  and  after  burying'  the  rest  as  superfluous, 
we  hurried  away  from  the  hateful  spot,  camping  fur 
inland. 

Arriving  at  camp,  we  discovered  four  Madi  carriers 
to  have  deserted  with  the  kits  of  their  Zanzibari  mates. 
Had  they  known,  what  we  could  never  forget,  of  the 
evil  repute  of  this  wilderness,  they  probably  would  have 
chosen  the  brawling  river  for  their  graves  than  the  shnv 
torture  of  famine  in  the  ruthless  forest. 

At  sunset  we  were  surprised  to  see  the  Manyuema 
escort  reach  our  camp.  They  had  tied  to  Kilonga 
Longa's,  and  that  gentleman  had  sternly  ordered  them 
to  follow  us  again,  and  not  to  return  without  a  note 
reporting  they  had  performed  the  duty  on  which  they 
had  been  sent. 

On  the  21)th  we  left  the  river  route  and  steered  a 
south-westerly  course  through  the  pathless  forest,  in 
order  to  strike  the  road  taken  by  i\lr.  Stairs'  party  on 
their  return  from  llgarrowwa's.  As  the  head-man  Rashid 
l)in  ( )mar  was  of  our  party,  we  presumed — as  he  asserted 
his  faith  in  himself — that  he  would  recognize  the  path 
if  it  were  shown  to  him,  after  which  of  course  there 
wouhl  l)e  no  ditticulty.  The  whole  of  the  2!)th  and  ;30th 
were  occupied  in  this  south-westerly  course  undeviating. 
We  meanwhile  crossed  several  native  paths,  but  as 
Rashid  failed  to  recognize  anvof  them,  we  continued  on 
our  way.  On  the  1st  July,  early  in  the  morning's 
march,  we  entered  the  basin  of  the  Lenda  River,  and 
then,  as  Rashid  expressed  himself  of  the  opinion  that 
we  must  have  passed  the  path,  we  took  a  direct  westerly 
course,  steering  straight  on  tlir(jugh  the  forest  by 
compass.     At   noon   of  the   2nd  we   struck   the    Lenda 


nniDdlSd    THE   J.  EX  DA    I!  I  VEIL 


478 


River  whicli  licncrjilly  Howt'd,  as  we  ohserved  duriiiif 
the  nt'ternooii  marcli  of  the  'Jiid  and  until  n(»(»ii  ot"  the 
,Srd,  N  N.W.  Discoveiihii'  a  narrow  ciiasin  tliirtv  yanls 
wide  throuu'ii  which  the  l.enda  I'uslied  I'ui'iouslv,  we 
eoneeived  it  would  Ite  to  our  advantaue  to  throw  a 
l)rid«j;e  across  this  river,  and  trust  to  fortune  showinu'  us 
the  path  to  l^narrowwa's  station  on  the  othei*  liaiiU, 
rather  than  continue  ah»nu'  the  Lenihi  liiveron  tlie  ri«»ht 
])ank,  lest  we  niiuht  l»e  forced  to  wander  for  days 
without  findino-  the  means  of  crossing'.  Accordingly  we 
selected  three  of  the  tallest  trees,  115,  110,  and  I  OH 
feet  respectively,  which  we  managed  to  launch  across  the 
chasm,  and  these  resting"  on  stout  forked  upri<>hts,  with 
railings  to  steadv  the  laden  men,  made  a  connno«lious 
and  safe  hrid^e.  Early  on  tlie  morning'  of  the  otii  the 
l)rid«^e  was  cimipleted,  and  l>y  ten  o'clock  every  man  was 
,-afe  across. 

The  Madi  carriers  having  purposely  scattered  tiM'ir 
corn  provision  alon^'  the  road  to  li<iliten  their  loads, 
be<»;an  now  to  pay  the  penalty  of  their  wastefulness. 
Thou<;h  the  camp-crier  cried  out  (hiily  the  number  of 
davs  vet  remaininu;  for  which  the  provisions  must  last, 
the  iujnoraiit  savages  were,  however,  too  dense-headed 
to  j)rofit  l)y  the  warning;  consecpiently  we  had  a 
dozen  feeble  wretches  already  faltering  in  their  gait. 
AVe  were  already  short  of  seven — four  of  whom  had 
deserted. 

We  continued  on  the  left  bank  our  westerly  course,  and 
meantime  crossed  several  native  2)aths  inclining  S.  M  and 
N.AV.,  but  we  found  none  that  can  be  made  available 
for  our  necessitv. 

On  the  nth  we  stumbled  across  a  clearing  garnished 
with  a  small  but  thrivin,i»'  ])lantation  of  plantains.  The 
famished  Madis  rushed  on  this  supply  like  hungry  wolves 
on  their  jH'ey,  and  soon  devoured  the  whole,  but  three 
of  them  trod  on  cunnin_i»!y-liidden  sharp-pointed  skewei-s 
set  in  the  oround. 

Through  a  pelting  rain  we  travelled  on  the  7th,  and, 
vet  and  miserable,  camped  in  the  bosom  of  untra versed 
woods.     One  hour's  march  next  day  brought  us  to  the 


.Inly  1. 

l.lMI>lil 

Uiver. 


,.'*■,  fS 


!     (>, 


i|i 


ill! 


( 


)     l!l 


1  I 


)  ) 


h'   \ . 


;M-. 


I    \ 


474 


IN   DATfKKST  AFIilCA. 


18H8. 


siiiull  villaiio  of  lialia.  and  five  hours  lator  halted  for  the 
;'"'y^-    nirrhtnt  jiaiKh'va. 
>.in  e\a.       'Y\^\^  ,i.,y  J,.,,!  |,^.,.i,  i(.j)|('t('  with  iiiist rics  and  siiijjjuhir 

accidents.  A  sliowor  of  cold  rain  foil  on  us  after  leavin^jj 
Italia,  and  tliree  of  tlie  naked  Madis  fell  dead  within  a 
few  paces  of  eaeh  other.  At  the  Hrst  indications  of  this 
shower  I  liad  ordered  a  halt,  and  spread  out  about  I  oO 
s«[uare  feet  of  tentin*"',  invitin*;'  everyone  to  luiddle 
under  it.  Tlie  sliower  over,  we  rolled  up  the  canvas 
and  resumed  the  march,  hut  we  were  still  subject  to  the 
heavy  cold  drippin;^'  of  the  foliage.  The  Zanziharis,  more 
accustomed  to  it  and  in  better  condition  of  bodv,  were 
not  mui'h  inconvenienced  ;  but  three  Madis,  depressed  in 
mind,  depleted  in  bodv,  fell  dead  as  suddeidv  as  thou<;h 
shot.  A  Lado  soldier  of  Emin  Pasha's  and  a  Zanzibar! 
were  skewered  in  tlie  feet,  and  so  crippled  by  these 
painful  wounds  that  we  wei"e  oblioed  to  carry  them. 
Near  Bandeva  aiiother  Aladi  native  succumbed  to 
ilhiess  caused  by  insutticient  food,  and  a  Zanzibar!  was 
shot  bv  a  bold  and  craft v  dwarf  with  an  arrow  which 
penetrated  between  the  ribs,  but  not  to  a  fatal  depth. 
Arrivinoat  the  villaue.mv  cook  Hassan,  in  an  unfortunate 
moment,  while  drawini<'  his  Winchester  rifle  towards  him, 
caused  it  to  explode,  tearino'  a  hirge  porti(m  of  the 
muscles  of  the  left  arm  ;  and  near  midnight  a  youth 
named  Amari,  while  blowinu'  uj)  to  a  briohter  Hame  a 
watch-fire,  was  suddenlv  wounded  in  the  head  bv  a  bullet 
from  a  Remington  cartridge  that  someone  had  carelessly 
dropped  near  the  embers. 

The  next  day,  guided  by  some  women  who  said  they 
knew  the  way  to  t^^garrowwa's,  there  was  a  most  tedious 
march  through  an  immense  clearing  lately  abandoned  by 
the  natives.  None  that  I  can  remember  was  so  full  of 
vexations.  It  was  a  strained  position  at  every  stride  we 
took — now  treading  on  a  slippery  trunk  which  bridged  a 
chasm  ])ristlino-  w'itli  dangers  from  a  number  of  dead 
branches,  their  sharp  points  erected  upwards  threatening 
impalement  to  the  unfortunate  man  who  fell  from  such 
a  height  on  them  ;  then  balancing  (meself  on  a  log  thrown 
across  a  rushing   stream  ;  anon  plunged  into  a  brake 


aW'JXG/NG  liOVND  A   rjuri.h. 


17. 


ill  ted  for  the 


Sll 


Mocfitiii^flv  closo  tVoni  tlic  (Icnso  masses  of  invriiids  of     \xm. 


ci'ecpci's  gr()\viii«r  ahove  and  around  ;  soon  stnnihlinu 
tliroujrli  a  (k'l'p  <;r('('n  slou<ih,  its  depth  hidden  l»y 
Hoatin<i;  ve^etal>h'  |)arasites.  then  over  a  tearful  iirray  of 
lo<rH,  tlie  relies  of  tlie  old  forest,  and  every  step  the 
difHeulties  repeated  until  near  noon  we  had  traversed 
with  streaming;  hodies  the  vast  elearin''"  of  fiaiiiiwa. 
On  tlie  eonfine.s  of  tlie  vir«;in  forest  we  forme  1  camp, 
despatched  the  people  to  (father  p'.mtains  and  to  prepare 
them  as  provisions  for  the  few  days  yet  remaining' of  the 


ihl 


wildeiness. 


B^ 


so 


lai'    observations    1   discovered 


we    were  in 


N. 


hit  i°o'  k;". 

On  the  10th  I  suspected  we  weiv  takinu'  a  course 
which,  if  continued,  would  lead  us  not  far  from  ourcamp 
of  the  Hth,  hut  the  /anziharis  wei'e  so  wedded  to  the 
helief  that  the  natives  knew  their  own  country  hest.  that 
in  a  tit  of  spleen  1  permitted  them  to  rest  in  that 
opinion.  Ahout  ten  o'clock  of  the  11th  we  came  upon 
the    clearin<r    and  a   little  villaire  we  had    left   on    the 


moinin 


«••  of  tlie  Hth.      Th 


us    we 


liad 


made  a  com 


plete 


circle,  ami  in  revenue  for  this  the  peo{)le  deman<le(l  that 
the  women  should  he  slau<^litere(h  Poor  thin«is,  they 
had  only  acted  accordiiio'  to  their  nature  I  It  is  we  who 
were  in  error  in  supposiiii^'  that  the  natives  would  show 
us  a  way  leadini>'  them  further  and  further  from  their 
own  country.  Were  the  faith  continued  in  them  they 
would  have  persisted  in  ouidin^'  us  round  ahout  their 
clearings  until  they  had  dropped  dead  on   their  native 


earth.      The    w( 


)nien  wer 


e    therefore   sent   awav   h 


ome 


and  with  compass  in  hand  we  steered  a  west  hy  noi-th 
course  to  strike  the  main  road.  We  continued  this  course 
the  whole  of  the  11th,  and  early  next  day  succeeded  in 
finding  the  path,  which  ran  north  hy  east. 

At  nine  o'clock  of  the  l-'Uli  .July  we  reached  our  old 
camp  (Hi  the  Ituri  River,  oi)posite  IJgarrowwa's  station, 
hut  the  place,  as  we  looked  across  the  river,  we  found  to 
he  abandoned.  Therefore  no  news  could  be  obtained  of 
our  long  absent  carriers,  or  of  the  ^lajor  and  liis  peo])le. 


W 


e   resumed  our  march,   our   course    ljein<r  aloni"'   rlie 


d( 


[h 


ji 


'.•. 


j.ingwa. 


ii*f 


476 


7.V  DAItKEST  AFIilCA. 


H,! 


1888. 
July  14. 

Amiri 
Falls. 


Ituri  River,  every  mile,  every  creek,  every  crossing-place 
and  every  camp,  well  known  to  ns. 

The  next  day,  rations  all  exhausted,  ]\Iadis  perishing 
by  twos  and  threes  daily,  we  reached  Amiri  Falls.  No 
sooner  was  camp  j)itched  than  there  was  a  rush  for 
food.  It  was  not  to  ])e  o])tained  in  the  immediate 
vicinity,  for  Ugarrowwa's  multitude  of  GOO  people  had 
j)receded  us  and  devoured  every  edible,  and  that  the 
supply  had  been  insutHcient  for  them  was  evident  l)y 
tlie  nund»er  of  skeletons  in  his  old  camp.  Distance 
would  not  deter  our  fellows  frcmi  the  Nyanza ;  they 
hastened  onward,  pursuing  a  track  leading  southward, 
until  finally  after  s(mie  hours  they  reached  a  hill  the 
])ase  of  which  was  one  c(mtinuous  thriving  planta  ion  of 
plantains.  At  a  late  hour  in  the  night  they  l)r()ught 
the  good  news  to  camp,  gratified  our  famished  eyes 
with  a  view  of  the  prodigious  fruit,  which  caused  us 
all  to  dream  ecstaticallv  on  fruitv  ban(|uets  of  which 
the  mellow  and  flavoury  plantain  was  the  most  con- 
spicuous. 

Of  course  a  halt  at  such  a  critical  period  within  reach 
of  such  abundance  was  imperative,  and  at  an  eai'ly  hour 
the  camp  was  emptied  of  nearly  every  able  hand, 
exce})ting  sentries,  to  procure  food.  In  the  afternoon 
the  well -furnished  foragers  returned,  often  in  couples, 
with  an  innnense  ])unch  between  them,  like  to  the  old 
engraving  of  Caleb  and  Joshua  bearing  the  grapes  of 
Eshcol.  The  more  provident,  however,  bore  larger 
<piantities  of  the  fruit,  peeled  and  sliced,  ready  for 
di'ving,  thus  avoiding  the  superfluous  stalk  and 
plantain  skin.  During  the  absence  of  the  foragers  the 
weaker  of  the  messes  had  erected  the  wooden  urates 
and  collected  the  fuel  for  the  drvinu  overniiiht.  The 
fruit  when  thus  div  could  be  ccmverted  into  cakes,  or 
])alatable  plantain  })orridge.  or  a  morning's  draught  of 
j)lantain  gruel.  Many  of  the  finest  specimens  wei'e 
ro.ierved  to  ri|)en  to  make  a  sweet  pudding,  or  a  sweet 
brew,  or  for  sauce  for  the  })orridge. 

On  the  Kith  July  we  resumed  our  march  along  the 
river,  following  our  old  road  as  closely  as  possil>le,  and 


.1    MADf   CIIJKF   rUFAWUKS    Ft  HI    DhWT/f. 


477 


ill  seven  hours  reached  the  Little  Ruj)i(ls  {il)()ve  Naval li 
Falls.  On  the  next  (hiy  passed  Xavahi  Falls,  and 
took  a  look  at  the  plaee  where  we  sulniieroed  our 
canoes,  to  discover  that  they  had  heon  taken  away. 
Within  four  hours  we  arrived  at  our  old  caiii])  at 
Avamhuri  landing-place.  'I'he  path  was  now  consider- 
ahly  improved,  for  nearly  a  thousand  pairs  of  feet  had 
tro(hh'ii  it  since  our  two  score  of  hill-hooks  had  first 
carved  a  passage  throUi-h  the  hush.  Many  a  skeleton 
lay  alonui;  the  road,  and  )ur  niorihund  AFadis  were 
destined  to  acUl  a  few  more  to  the  iiumher,  for  day  hy 
day  they  dropped  down  never  to  rise  again.  Nothing 
that  we  could  say  would  [)revail  to  induce  them  to 
provide  provision  for  the  morrow.  Ten  plantains  they 
thought  an  inexhaustihle  stock,  hut  the  evening  would 
find  them  hungering  for  more.  The  only  other  means 
left  to  save  their  lives  was  to  halt  as  often  as  possible, 
to  enable  them  to  eat  their  fill.  Accordingly  we  halted 
two  (hiys  at  Avamhuri  landing-place,  to  rest  and  comfort 
the  drooping  and  dying  Madis. 

On  the  20tli  we  marched  for  seven  and  a  half  hours, 
and  camped  a  few"  miles  ahove  Bafaido  Cataract,  losing  one 
Zanzihari  and  four  ]\Iadis  en  rout*'.  One  of  the  latter 
was  a  chief  among  them,  who  suffered  from  a  skewer 
wound  in  the  foot.  As  we  were  starting  he  stated  his 
intention  to  die  on  the  spot,  called  his  countrymen 
together,  distribute*!  his  bracelets,  anklets,  shiny  iron 
collars  and  ear-rings  among  them,  and  then  lay  down 
with  a  placid  countenance,  wherein  not  the  slightest 
emotion  was  discernible.  All  this  was  very  admirable, 
but  it  would  have  been  still  more  admirable  to  have 
bravely  struggled,  than  to  have  so  doggedly  died. 
Three  hours  later  we  discovered  a  canoe  into  which  we 
were  enabled  to  [)lace  a  few  weaklings.  IVfore  reaching 
camp  we  had  found  three  canoes,  into  which  we  em- 
barked nearlv  all  the  ailing  ones.  It  would  have  been 
cruel  to  have  halted  and  sent  back  jx-ople  for  the  Madi 
chief;  besides  there  were  many  chances  against  our 
finding  him  alive,  for  as  soon  as  the  rearguard  left  the 
camp  it  was  generally  visited  by  hosts  of  natives,  who 


•Inly  17. 
Na\iil)i 


Fill^ 


I  J  '■•!;• 


1888. 
July  21. 

Bafaido 
Cataract. 


478 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


would  feel  no  remorse  for  ending  the  feeble  life  of  the 
sick  man  la"oino;  behind  the  column. 

I'he  next  day  was  a  short  march  of  two  hours. 
Ugarrowvva  had  also  halted  at  Bafaido  Cataract,  and  for 
several  days,  judging  from  the  elaljorate  arrangements 
of  his  large  camj),  which  from  a  distance  appeared  like  a 
large  town,  occupying  the  extremity  of  the  river-head 
terminated  by  the  cataract.  Before  arriving  at  Hippo 
Broads  we  were  in  possession  of  four  canoes.  On  the 
next  day,  lunching  at  the  cataract  camp,  where  we  buried 
our  shovels  and  some  articles  which  our  weakening- 
force  could  not  carry,  we  examined  the  cache,  and 
discovered  that  the  deserters  had  unearthed  the  ten 
tusks  of  ivory,  and  the  natives  had  possessed  themselves 
of  all  the  remaining  articles.  Late  in  the  afternoon  we 
camped  at  Basopo  CVitaract.  Between  the  two  cataracts 
the  Zanzibaris  discovered  several  canoes  hidden  away  in 
the  creeks  emptying  into  the  Ituri,  and  joyfully,  but 
most  recklessly,  embarked  in  them,  and  notwithstanding 
theii  knowledge  of  the  dangerous  channels  of  the 
Basopo  Cataract,  continued  on  their  course  down  the 
furious  stream,  which  caused  us  the  loss  of  a  Zanzibari 
and  a  boy  belonging  to  the  soldiers  of  Emin  Pasha.  In 
the  capsized  canoe  were  also  two  of  the  Pasha's  soldiers, 
l)oth  of  wlumi  lost  their  rifles  and  their  kit,  and  barely 
escaped  with  their  lives. 

Two  Zanzibaris,  called  Juma  and  Nassib,  wandered 
away  from  the  column  and  were  missing  this  day,  and 
we  were  therefore  o))liged  to  halt  on  the  24th  to  send 
out  a  party  to  hunt  for  them.  In  the  afternoon  the 
party  returned  unsuccessful,  but  an  hour  later  we  were 
startled  to  hear  a  bullet  hissing  over  our  heads.  A 
search  was  made,  and  the  culprit  was  found  to  be 
Nassil),  who,  accompjinied  ])y  his  friend  Juma,  was 
returning  to  camp,  and  who  informed  us  that  lie  had 
seen  one  of  our  people  in  the  bush  just  outside  the 
camp,  and  had  tired  at  him,  supposing  him  to  be  a 
prowling  native.  lie  still  more  astonished  us  when  he 
related  that  the  cause  of  his  parting  fiom  the  column 
was  that  he  and  Juma  had  seen  some  tine  plantains  in  a 


A    TERRIBLE  STATE   OF  BEING. 


479 


plantation,  and  had  sat  d(nvn  to  peel  and  dry  a  supply 
for  the  road.  This  had  ccjnsunied  some  eighteen  hours 
at  least,  and  they  say  that  when  they  sought  the  road 
they  could  not  find  the  track  of  200  men.  It  is 
difficult  to  decide  which  compelled  most  admiration,  the 
folly  of  these  two  third-rate  men  sitting  cahnly  down 
in  the  midst  of  a  plantation  belonging  to  ferocious 
cannibals,  who  generally  closed  the  rear  of  the  colunins 
to  avenge  themselves  on  the  stragglers,  or  the  alarm 
which  in  this  solitary  instance  possessed  the  natives. 

On  the  25tli  we  camped  above  the  Little  Rapids  of 
Bavikai,  and  on  the  next  day  entered  the  populous 
district  of  Ave-jeli,  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Nepoko 
affluent,  taking  our  quarters  in  the  village  wh«'re 
Dr.  Parke  so  successfully  amputated  the  foot  of  an 
unfortunate  Zanzibari  thirteen  months  belbre. 

I  w^as  never  so  sensible  of  the  evils  of  forest  marching 
as  on  this  day.  My  own  condition  of  Ix^dy  was  so 
reduced,  owir**'  to  the  mean  and  miserable  diet  of  ve^e- 
tables  on  which  I  was  forced  t('  subsist,  that  I  was  more 
than  usually  sympathetic.  At  this  time  there  were 
alxjut  thirty  naked  Madis  in  the  last  stages  of  life  ;  their 
former  ebon  black  was  changed  to  an  ashy  grey  hue, 
and  all  their  bones  stood  out  so  fearfully  prominent  as 
to  create  a  feeling  of  wonder  how  such  skeletons  were 
animated  with  the  power  of  locomotion.  Almost  every 
individual  among  them  was  the  victim  of  some  hideous 
disease,  and  tumours,  scorched  backs,  foetid  ulcers,  were 
conunon  ;  while  others  were  afflicted  with  chronic  dysen- 
tery and  a  wretched  debibty  caused  by  insufficient  food. 
A  mere  glance  at  them,  with  the  mal-odour  generated  by 
ailments,  caused  me  to  gasp  from  a  spasm  of  stomach 
sickness.  With  all  this,  the  ground  was  rank  with 
vegetable  corruption,  the  atmosphere  heated,  stifling, 
dark  and  pregnant  with  the  seeds  of  decay  of  myriads 
of  insects,  leaves,  plants,  twigs  and  branches.  At  every 
pace  my  head,  neck,  arms  or  clothes  was  <;aught  by  a 
tough  creeper,  calamus  thorn,  coarse  briar,  or  a  giant 
thistle-like  phmt,  scratching  and  rending  whatever 
portion    they  hooked  on.     Insects  also  of  number'less 


IHSH. 
.lu'y  24. 

B.isojiu 
Ciitaraut. 


;?fi 


]i  I 
i 


1888. 
Jiily  -26. 

Ave-jeli. 


480 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


species  lent  their  aid  to  increase  my  misery,  especially 
the  polished  hlack  ant,  which  atl'ects  the  trumpet  tree. 
As  we  marched  under  the  leaves  these  ants  contrived  to 
drop  on  the  person,  and  their  bite  was  more  vexatious 
than  a  wasp's  or  red  ants  ;  the  part  l)itten  soon  swelled 
largely,  and  became  white  and  blistery.  I  need  not 
name  the  other  species,  black,  yellow  and  red,  which 
crossed  the  path  in  armies  or  clung  to  almost  every  phmt 
and  fed  on  every  ti'ee.  These  ofi'ensive  sights  and 
odours  we  met  day  after  day,  and  each  step  taken  was 
fraught  with  its  <jwn  particular  evil  and  annoyance,  but 
with  my  present  fading  strength  and  drooping  s})irits, 
they  had  become  almost  unl)earable.  My  mind  suffered 
under  a  constant  strain  of  anxiety  respecting  the  fate  of 
my  twenty  choice  men  which  wei'e  despatched  as  couriers 
to  tlie  rear  cc^lumn  under  ^lajor  Barttelot,  as  well  as  of 
the  rear  column  itself.  I  had  had  no  meat  of  any  kind, 
of  bird  or  beast,  for  nearly  a  montli,  subsisting  entirely 
on  bananas  or  plantains,  which,  however  varied  in  their 
treatment  by  the  cook,  failed  ro  satisfy  the  jaded 
stomach.  ]\Iy  muscles  had  ])ecome  thin  and  Habby,  and 
were  mere  cords  and  sinews,  every  limb  was  in  a  tremor 
while  travelling,  and  the  vitals  seemed  to  groan  in  anguish 
for  a  small  morsel  of  meat. 

At  camp  I  overheard  a  conversaticm  carried  on 
between  my  tent-l)oy  8ali  and  another  Zanzibari.  The 
boy  was  saying  that  he  b-clieved  the  "Master"  would 
not  last  long,  how  he  had  observed  that  his  powers  were 
declining  fast.  "  Please  (iod,"'  said  the  other,  "  we  shall 
find  goats  or  fowls  in  a  few  days.  It  is  meat  he  needs, 
and  he  shall  get  it  if  Ugarrowwa  has  not  cleared  out  the 
country." 

"  Ah,"  said  Sali,  '*  if  the  Zanzibaris  were  men  instead 
of  being  brutes,  they  would  surely  share  with  the  master 
what  meat  they  get  while  foraging.  Do  they  not  use 
his  guns  and  cartridges,  and  are  they  not  paid  wages  for 
using  them.  I  can't  understand  why  they  should  not 
share  what  they  obtain  with  the  master's  own  rifles." 

"  There  are  few  here  so  wicked  as  not  to  do  it — if  they 
get  anything  worth  sharing,"  replied  the  other. 


^liV  AliMV  OF  HATS 


481 


ry,  especii.lly 
:rumpet  tree. 
1  contrived  to 
)re  vexatidiis 

soon  swelled 
I  need  not 
d  red,  which 
it  every  plant 
!  sights  and 
3p  taken  was 
inoyance,  but 
oping  spirits, 
mind  suffered 
lo'  the  fate  of 
ed  as  couriers 

as  well  as  of 
:  of  any  kind, 
sting  entirely 
aried  in  their 
y  the  jaded 
d  flabby,  and 
IS  in  a  tremor 
)an  in  anguish 

carried  on 
nzibari.  The 
aster"  would 
powers  were 
ler,  "  we  shall 
leat  he  needs, 
eared  out  the 

3  men  instead 
th  the  master 

thev  not  use 
)aid  wages  for 

y  should  not 
>wn  rifles." 
do  it — if  they 
)ther. 


"  But    I    know    better,"    said    8ali.      "  Some    of   the     i888. 
Zanzibaris  find  a  fowl  or  a  goat  almost  every  day,  but  I   -^"'J  ■-*^- 
do  not  see  any  of  them  bringing  anything  to  the  master."       ''"'''' '' 

At  this  juncture  1  called  out  to  Sali,  and  enjoined  him 
to  tell  me  all  he  knew.  By  dint  of  (questioning,  the  fact 
was  elicited  that  there  was  some  truth  in  what  he 
had  stated.  Two  of  the  Zanzibari  chiefs,  JMurabo,  of 
Buml)ire'  fame,  and  Wadi  Mabruki,  had  discovered  a 
goat  and  three  fowls  on  the  25th,  and  had  secretly  eaten 
them.  This  was  one  of  the  first  instances  of  signal 
ingratitude  discovered  in  these  two  men.  From  this  day 
the  effect  of  the  disclosure  resulted  in  obtaining  a  share 
in  the  spoils.  Tliree  fowls  were  delivered  to  me  before 
evening,  and  a  few  days  later  I  had  regained  normal 
strength.  Tliis  happy  result  in  my  own  case  proved 
what  the  needs  of  the  poor  'i;;ked  Madis  were. 

A  heavy  stock  of  provisions  of  dried  plantains  was 
prepared  at  Ave-jeli,  and  our  increasing  flotilla  of  canoes 
enabled  us  to  embark  all  our  Madis,  baggage,  and  half 
of  the  Zanziltari  force. 

We  formed  our  next  day's  can)p  near  A  vugadu  Rapids, 
and  on  the  27th  passed  the  canoes  over  the  rapids,  and 
halted  for  the  night  a  few  miles  below. 

We  lunched  at  our  old  camp,  where  T  remained  so 
many  days  wliile  waiting  and  searching  for  the  lost 
Expedition  in  August,  '87,  on  the  .'50th  'luly,  and  took 
up  our  night's  quarters  at  Mabengu  village. 

At  this  viUaoe  we  observed  about  sunset  an  immense 
number  of  large  bats,  called  "  p<>p<>  '  in  Swahili,  sailing 
over  our  heads  to  their  niu'ht  I'oosts  aci'oss  the  river.  .V 
thin  riband  of  sky  was  alone  visible  above  whei'e  I  stood, 
and  J  counted  GHO  of  the  nunil)er  that  flew  within  view. 
As  the  army  of  bats  must  have  spread  over  sevei'al 
miles  of  the  forest,  a  rough  approximation  of  the  many 
thousands  that  were  flying  may  be  made. 

On  the  last  day  of  «luly  we  reached  Avisibl)a,  famous 
for  its  resistance  to  our  advance  cohnnn  last  year,  and 
for  the  fatal  eflects  of  the  poisoned  arrows  employed  in 
the  conflict.  In  one  of  the  huts  we  found  the  top  of  one 
of  our  tent-poles,  wrapped  carefully  in  leaves,  with  a 

VOL.    I.  F  F 


482 


IN  DARKEST  AFBICA. 


1888. 
July  31. 

Avisibba. 


r 


small  piece  of  cai'ti'i(l<ie  paj:)er,  a  bit  of  green  vei /et  from 
our  surgical  instrument  case,  and  the  brass  case  of  a 
Remington  cartridge.  The  curious  package  was  luing  up 
to  one  of  the  rafters,  and  probably  consecrated  to  some 
fetish. 

In  anotlier  hut  we  discovered  a  collar  of  iron  rings, 
and  ten  untired  cartridge  cases.  These  last  must  have 
])elono;ed  to  one  of  our  unfortunate  deserters,  whose  Hesh 
must  have  simmered  in  a  jiot  over  a  fire  and  formed  a 
family  repast.  An  old  jacket  was  also  picked  up  later, 
which  deepened  the  probability. 

Shortlv  after  landino-  at  the  village  a  little  naked  "irl 
about  eight  years  old  walked  composedly  into  view  and 
surprised  us  all  by  addressing  us  in  the  Zanzibari  lan- 
guage. 

She  cried  out,  "  It  is  true,  then  ?  I  heard  a  gunshot, 
and  I  said  to  myself  while  in  my  hiding-place,  these 
must  be  my  own  people,  and  I  mil  go  and  see  them, 
for  the  Pa<ijans  have  no  ouns." 

She  gave  her  name  as  "  Hatuna-mgini  "  (we  have  no 
other),  and  related  that  she  and  five  full-grown  women 
were  abandoned  l)y  UgaiT(3Wwa  at  that  place  because 
they  were  very  sick,  and  that  soon  after  Ugarrowwa  had 
departed  with  his  large  flotilla  of  canoes  the  natives 
rushed  in  and  killed  the  five  women,  but  that  she  had 
run  away  and  hidden  herself,  where  she  had  remained 
ever  since,  living  on  raw  wild  fruit,  but  in  the  night 
she  had  sucjceeded  in  gathering  bananas,  which,  when 
ripe,  she  could  eat  uncooked,  since  no  lire  was  possible. 
Ugarrowwa  had  had  a  skirmish  with  tlie  Avisil)bas, 
in  which  he  had  killed  a  great  number.  lie  had  stayed 
here  five  days  preparing  food,  and  had  departed  man\^ 
days — "  more  than  ten  days." 

A  march  of  four  and  a  half  hours  to  Engwedde,  and 
anotlier  oi  seven  and  a  half  lu)urs,  took  us  to  a  camp 
opposite  an  island  occupied  by  the  Bapaiya  fishermen, 
a  few  miles  above  the  Ne  jambi  Rapids.  Rifles,  accoutre- 
ments, w^ere  disembarked,  and  the  canoemen  were 
ordered  to  pass  their  canoes  down  the  left  branch. 
While  the  land  party  was  engaged  in  the  portage,  t\\<i 


TEEACHERY  AT  PANG  A    FALLS. 


4«3 


majority  of  tlie  caiioemen'  ])i'efeiTe(l  to  take   tlic   riujlit     ihhh. 
})raiich,  ill  whicli  act  of  (lis()l)e(li  nee  tlie  Zaiiziliari  chief   •'"'>  •*!• 
and  five  ^ladis  lost  their  lives,  one  canoe  was  lost,  and   '^"''"''• 
two    others    capsized,    but    afterwards    recovered.       A 
Zanzibari   named    Salini   was    so   bi'uised   and    battered 
by  the   tl'xxl  sweeping  him   auainst  the   rocks  that  he 
was  uiia])le  to  walk  for  nearly  a  month  afterwards. 

About  ;i  r.M.  we  resumed  our  journey,  and  ari'ived 
about  5  P.M.  at  Pan^a  Falls.  Leaving'  a  detachment 
oi  them  to  o;uard  the  canoes,  wc  formed  canij)  below 
the  Falls.  The  land  party  succeeded  in  findin<;'  a  small 
supply  of  Indian  corn,  which,  ccnverted  into  meal, 
made  me  a  porridge  supper. 

A  downpour  of  rain,  commencing"  at  midnioht  and 
continuing'  until  1  r.M.  of  the  5th  of  Auuust,  much 
impeded  our  work,  but  by  ni^ht  we  had  our  flotilla 
of  nineteen  canoes  safe  ])elow  the  Falls,  in  fi-ont  of  our 
camp. 

The  natives  of  Pan^a  had  betaken  themselves  into 
an  ishind  near  the  right  bank,  with  all  their  goats, 
fowls,  and  other  property,  but  they  had  left  several 
nets  and  wires  within  reach  in  the  various  bi-anches 
on  our  side,  whence  we  obtained  some  fine  large  fish. 
The  natives  w^ere  practically  safe,  inasmuch  as  no  body 
of  men  with  other  business  in  view  would  incur  the 
trouble  of  molesting  them.  The}',  however,  manifested 
most  plausil)ly  a  desire  to  make  terms  of  amity  with  us 
by  pouring  water  on  their  heads  and  sprinkling  tluMi- 
])odies  with  it,  and  some  of  our  men  uood-naturedly 
approached  their  island  and  responded  reciprocally. 
The  daring  natives  pushed  across  the  cataract,  and 
one  of  them  contrived  to  draw  hiuiself  un[)erceived 
near  one  of  our  men,  and  stabbed  him  in  the  back. 

A  halt  was  ordered  the  next  day,  and  a  band  of  forty 
men  proceeded  inland  to  forage,  returning  t()wardr^ 
night,  each  with  a  load  of  eatables  ;  but  <nie  of  thcii' 
number,  a  ^ladi,  received  a  severe  wound  in  the  back 
with  an  arrow. 

Our  old  camp  opposite  the  confluence  of  the  Nguln 
River  and  the  Ituri  was  reached  on  the  7th  in  two  and 


484 


IN  DARKEST  AFIilCA. 


1H8H. 
Aug.  8. 

Mam- 
baiigit's. 


a  half  hours  by  the  canoes,  hut  the  land  party  occupied 
eight  hours  in  marching  the  distance,  which  I  estimated 
at  eleven  miles. 

At  JVIamhunga's  on  the  north  l)ank,  which  we  reached 
the  next  day,  we  found  a  good  supply  of  food,  hut  a 
Zanzihai'i  named  Jalifti  was  seriously  wounded  with  a 
wooden  arrow  in  the  chest.  A  portion  an  inch  and  a 
half  long  was  im])edded  in  the  wounded  part,  which 
incapacitated  him  from  duty  for  over  two  months.  On 
the  point  of  the  arrow  being  ejected,  the  wound  soon 
closed. 

At  Mugwye's — or  My-yui — the  next  place,  a  great 
chanire  had  occurred.  All  the  villaoes  were  obliterated 
by  fii'c,  and  the  fine  plantain  plantations  cut  down,  and 
at  Mugwye's  own  village  tliere  stood  an  immense  camp. 
Believing  that  Ugarrowwa  was  present,  we  fired  a  signal 
shot,  but  no  answer  being  returned,  we  proceeded  to 
our  old  camp  on  the  left  bank,  wliere  on  one  of  the 
trees  Lieutenant  Stairs  had  carved  the  date  "July  31st" 
(1887)  for  the  benefit  of  the  .Major. 

Arriving  at  our  old  camp,  we  were  surprised  to  see 
the  body  of  a  woman  belonging  to  Ugarrowwa's,  freshly 
killed  and  washed,  laid  out  on  the  bank  close  to  the 
river,  and  near  by  thi'ee  bunches  of  plantains,  two 
cooking-pots,  and  a  canoe  capable  of  carrying  five 
people.  Jt  was  evident  to  us  that  a  party  of  natives 
hearing  the  signal  shot,  had  decamped,  and  had  been 
obliged  to  abandon  their  intended  feast. 

A  party  of  men  was  sent  across  the  river  to  recon- 
noitre, {ind  in  a  short  time  they  came  back  reporting 
that  Ugarrowwa  must  have  departed  that  same  morning 
down  the  river.  This  was  very  regrettal)le  to  me,  as  1 
))urned  to  ascei'tain  what  he  had  heard  of  the  news  from 
down  river,  and  I  also  wished  to  beu'  of  him  not  to 
ravage  the  (!ountry  for  the  benefit  of  succeeding  caravans, 
which  would  suffer  serious  loss  from  the  wholesale  havoc 
and  devastation  attending  his  journey. 

On  the  loth  of  August  1  delivered  over  to  the  care 
of  the  senior  Zanzibar  chief,  Eashid,  thirty-five  of  the 
ablest  of  our  men,  with  a  charge  to  pursue  our  old  track 


THE  MEETING    WITH   OClt    VOUlilERS. 


485 


rty  occupied 
I  estimated 

1  we  reached 
food,  but  a 
iided  with  a 
I  inch  and  a 
part,  which 
aonths.  On 
wound  soon 

Lice,  a  great 
3  ol)literated 
t  down,  and 
iiense  camp, 
ired  a  signal 
)roceeded  to 
one  of  the 
'July  31st'" 

rised  to  see 
va's,  freshly 
lose  to  the 
ntains,  two 
rrying  five 
■  of  natives 
1  had  been 


r  to  recon- 
reporting 
ne  morninix 
to  me,  as  1 
news  from 
him  not  to 
Ig  caravans, 
esale  havoc 

to  the  care 
five  of  the 
n-  old  track 


gwyes. 


along  the  river  as  T  intended  to  descend  the  river  with     18h8. 
our  canoe  flotilla  without  a  halt  as  far  a«  Wasp  Rapids,   '^"*^"  ^^^ 
where   no  doubt  we  sliouhl  overtake  llgarrowwa,   and 
where  we  should  stay  together  until  he  should  reach  us. 
At   ().40  A.M.   we  set  out,  and,   paddling  vigorously, 
were  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Wasp  Rapids  at  11  a.m. 
Long  before  we  heard  the  roar  of  the  rushing  river  over 
the    rocky    reefs    which    obstruct    its   course  there,   we 
descried  an  immense  camp  on  the  right  bank,  and  in  a 
short  time  the  forms  of  men  in  white  dresses  moving 
about  the  bush.     AVhen  we  had  approached  within  rifle 
range  we  fired  some  signal  shots  and  hoisted  our  flag, 
which    was    no    sooner   seen    than    the    deep    boom    of 
heavily-loaded    muskets   announced   that    we    were  I'c- 
cognized.      Socni  several  large  canoes  pushed  from  the 
right  bank  towards  us,  as  we  were  descending  along  the 
left  bank,  and  hailed  us  in  the  Swahili  language.     After 
the  usual  exchange  of  compliments  we  then  asked  the 
news,  and  to  (nir  great  joy,  not  unmixed  with  grief,  we 
learned  that  our  couriers,  who    had   now  been   absent 
fnmi  us  nearly  six  months,  were  in  Ugarrowwa's  camp. 
The  couriers  had  left  Lieutenant  Stairs  at  Ugarrowwa's 
station  on   the    IGth  of  ]\larch,  and  had  reached  Wasp 
Rapids  in  seventeen  days,  or  on  the  1st  of  April,  where 
they  had  been  driven   back  with  a  loss  of  four  of  their 
number.     Perceiving  that  they   were  unable   to  pierce 
through  the  hostile  crowds,  they  had  travelled  back  to 
Uixarroww^a's  station,  which  thev  reached  on  the  2Gth  of 
April,  and  where  they  placed  themselves  in  Ugarrowwa's 
hands.     A  month    later,    L^garrowwa,   having   collected 
his   people  from  the  outlying  stations,  commenced  his 
descent  of  the   Ituri   River,  our  couriers  accompanying 
him,    reaching  Wasp    Rapids    on    the    !)th   of   August, 
having   been    seventy-six    days    en    route.     That   same 
period  we  had  occupied  in   travelling  from  the  Albert 
Nyanza,    the  lOtli   of  August   being  the  twenty-ninth 
day  since  we  had  left  Ugarrowwa's  old  station. 

After  forming  our  camp  on  the  left  Ijank  in  the 
•Icserted  village  of  Bandcyah,  opposite  the  camp  of 
Ugarrowwa's,  in  the  deserted  village  of  Bandekiya,  the 


PI 


I'l:- 


»!l 


w 


III 


I: 


r ' 


I 


480 


7iV  DAliKEST  AFRICA. 


Itaudev.i. 


iH8«.     surviving  couriers,  aoconipaiiiod  l)y  Ugurrowwa  and  liis 
Aug.  11.  })(3mj  nuMi,  visited   us.      Amid  a  deep  silence   the   head 
man  rehited  his  ti'anic  storv  : 

"  Master,  wiien  you  called  lor  volunteers  to  bear  your 
letter  to  the  Major,  there  was  not  a  man  of  us  but 
intended  to  do  his  very  best,  knowing  that  we  were  all 
to  receive  a  hiuh  reward  and  ureat  honour  it"  we  succeeded. 
AVe  have  done  our  best,  and  we  have  failed.  We  have, 
therefore,  lost  both  reward  and  honoui'.  It  is  the  men 
who  have  g(me  with  you  to  the  Nyanza  and  found  the 
Pasha,  and  can  boast  of  having  seen  him  face  to  face, 
who  deserve  best  at  your  hands.  But  if  we  have  not 
succeeded  in  findino-  the  Majoi-and  ghiddening  his  heart 
with  the  good  news  we  had  to  tell,  (xod  he  knows  it  has 
not  been  through  any  fault  of  our  own,  but  rather 
because  it  is  His  will  that  we  should  not  do  so.  We 
have  lost  four  of  our  number,  and  I  am  the  only  one 
who  cannot  show  a  wound  received  during  the  journe}-. 
We  have  two,  who  though  alive,  seem  to  be  incurable 
from  the  poiscm  in  their  blood.  Scmie  of  our  men  have 
as  many  as  five  arrow  wounds  to  show  you.  As  far  as 
Avisibba  we  came  down  the  river  smoothly  enough,  but 
then  the  sharj)  work  soon  connnenced.  At  Engwedde' 
two  were  wounded.  At  Panga  Falls  three  men  were 
most  seriously  hurt  by  arrows.  Between  Fanga  Falls 
and  here  was  a  continued  light  day  after  day,  night 
after  night ;  the  natives  seemed  to  know  Ions;  before  we 
reached  them  our  full  strength,  and  set  on  us  either  in 
full  daylight  or  in  the  darkness,  as  though  resolved  to 
exterminate  us.  Why  they  should  show  so  much  courage 
with  us  when  they  had  slK)wn  themselves  so  cowardly 
when  we  went  up  with  you,  I  cannot  say,  unless  our 
deserters,  coming  down  river  by  half-dozens,  have  enabled 
the  Pagans  to  taste  the  flavour  of  Zanzibari  blood,  and 
they  having  succeeded  so  well  with  them,  imagined  they 
could  succeed  with  us.  However,  when  we  reached  this 
village  wherein  you  are  now  encamped,  there  were  only 
eleven  of  us  fit  for  anything  ;  all  the  rest  were  sore  from 
their  wounds  and  one  was  helpless ;  and  soon  after 
our    coming  the  fight    began    in   real    earnest.     Those 


A    TRAGIC   STOIIY. 


4H7 


from  tiiiit  o;reat  villa<^e  opposite  us  joined  witli  the 
natives  of  Handeya  ;  the  river  seemed  to  swarm  vvitli 
canoes,  and  the  l)usli  around  tins  viHa<^e  was  alive  with 
natives.  After  an  hour's  trial,  (hiring  which  time  many 
of  them  must  have  been  kille<l,  for  they  were  so  crowded, 
especially  on  the  river,  we  were  left  in  peacte.  We 
availed  ourselves  in  fortifying,  as  well  as  we  could,  the 
few  huts  we  had  selected  for  our  (jUfU'ters  during  the 
night. 

"  When  night  fell  we  phuied  sentries  as  usual,  as  you 
and  Lieut.  Stairs  and  Ugarrowwa,  all  of  you,  enjoined 
on  us;  l)ut,  wearied  with  work  and  luirassed  by  care, 
our  sentries  must  have  slept,  for  the  first  thing  we 
knew  was  that  the  natives  had  pulled  down  our  zeriba 
and  entered  into  the  camp,  and  a  wild  cry  from  a  man 
who  received  a  fatal  thrust  with  a  spear  woke  us  up  to 
find  them  amongst  us.  We  each  grasped  our  rifles  and 
fired  at  the  nearest  man,  and  six  of  them  fell  dead  at 
our  feet.  This  for  a  moment  paralysed  them  ;  but  we 
heard  a  chief's  voice  say,  '  These  men  have  run  aw^iy 
from  Bula  Matari.  Not  one  of  them  must  live.'  Then 
from  the  river  and  the  bush  they  came  on  in  dense 
crowds,  which  the  flashes  of  our  rifles'  fire  lit  up,  and 
their  great  numbers  seemed  for  a  short  time  to  frighten 
the  best  of  us.  Lakkin,  however,  who  is  never  so 
funny  as  when  in  trouble,  shouted  out,  '  These  fellowH 
have  come  for  meat — give  it  them,  but  let  it  ])e  of  their 
own  people,'  and  wounded  men  and  all  took  their  rifles 
and  took  aim  as  though  at  a  target.  I  low  many  of 
them  fell  I  cannot  say  ;  but  when  our  cartridges  were 
l)eginning  to  run  low  they  ran  away,  and  we  were  left 
to  count  the  dead  around  us.  Two  of  our  men  never 
answered  to  their  names,  a  third  called  Jumah,  the  son 
of  Nassib,  called  out  to  me,  and  when  I  went  to  him  I 
found  him  bleeding  to  death.  He  had  just  strength 
enough  to  charge  me  to  give  the  journey  up.  'do 
back,'  said  he.  '  I  n'ive  vou  niv  last  words,  (^o  back. 
You  cannot  reach  the  Major;  therefore  whatever  \()U  do, 
go  l)ack  to  Ugarrowwa's.'  Having  said  this,  he  gave 
up  his  last  breath,  and  rolled  over,  dead. 


Ant,'.  11. 

li.llKlfVil. 


4^ 


I  ( 


b   : 


48H 


IN   DAHKKST  AFHK'A. 


w 


:  '  I 


iHHH.  "  [n  the  in(>niiii<i;  we  ltui'i(Ml  our  own  poo})l(',  and  uround 
Au»  11.  ^yj,  ^^crihu  tliero  were  nine  natives  (leml,  while  within 
ameya.  ^.j^^^.^  wci'e  six.  We  Kelieaded  the  Iiodies,  and  after 
(M)lleetin<jj  their  heads  in  a  heap,  h(;ld  eoiincil  to<jjethei'  as 
to  the  l)est  couise  to  ioHow.  There  were  seventeen  of 
us  alive,  hut  there  were  now  oidy  four  of  us  untouelied 
l>y  a  wound.  .luniah's  last  words  run<^  in  our  ears  like  a 
warnin<jc  also,  and  we  deeided  to  return  to  Uijarrowwa's. 
It  was  easier  said  than  done.  I  will  not  weary  you 
with  details — we  met  trouble  after  trouble.  Those  who 
were  wounded  before  were  again  wounded  with  arrows  ; 
those  who  were  unwounded  did  not  escape — not  one 
exeeptinn;  myself,  who  am  by  God's  mercy  still  whole. 
A  canoe  was  capsi^ied  and  we  lost  five  rifles.  Ismailia 
was  shot  dead  at  Panuja  Falls.  IVit  why  need  we  say 
over  again  what  I  have  already  said  ?  We  reached 
Ugarrowwa's  after  an  absen(;e  of  forty-three  days.  There 
were  only  sixteen  of  us  alive,  and  fifteen  of  us  were 
wounded.  Let  the  scars  of  those  wounds  tell  the  rest 
of  the  story.  We  are  all  in  God's  hands  and  in  yours. 
Do  with  us  as  you  see  fit.     I  have  ended  my  words." 

Among  those  who  heard  this  (b'eadful  story  of  trials 
for  the  first  time  there  was  scarcely  a  dry  eye.  Down 
many  faces  the  tears  ran  copiously,  and  deep  sighs  and 
ej;iculations  of  pity  gushed  from  the  sympathetic  hearts. 
When  the  speaker  had  finished,  before  my  verdict  was 
given,  there  was  a  rush  towards  liim,  and  hands 
stretched  out  to  grasp  his  own,  while  they  cried  out 
with  weeping  eyes,  "  Thank  God  !  thank  God  !  You 
have  done  bravely  ;  yes,  you  have  shown  real  worth,  and 
the  mettle  of  men." 

It  was  thus  we  welcomed  our  long-lost  couriers, 
whose  fate  had  been  ever  in  our  minds  since  our 
departure  from  Fort  Bodo.  They  had  been  singularly 
unsuccessful  in  the  o])ject  of  their  mission,  but  somehow 
they  could  nf)t  have  been  more  honoured  by  us  had 
they  returned  with  letters  from  the  Major.  The  story 
of  their  efibrts  and  their  sufierings  was  well  told,  and 
was  rendered  more  effective  and  thrilling  ])y  the  sight 
of  the  many  wounds  each  member  of  the  gallant  band 


UGATiPOWWA. 


•},si» 


had  received.  Tlirono;h  the  kindness  of  U^jarrowwn, 
whose  synijvithios  iiud  l)een  won  Ity  the  same  snd  l)ut 
brave  story,  their  wounds  had  soon  liealed,  with  the 
exception  of  two,  who  though  now  only  greatly  s<  d 
were  constantly  ailing  and  weak.  1  may  state  c; 
that  one  finally  recovered  in  the  course  of  two  moi.  js 
his  usual  strength,  the  other  in  the  same  time  faded 
away  and  died. 

In  Ugarrowwa's  camp  were  also  discovered  three 
famous  deserters,  and  two  of  our  convalescents  who 
were  absent  forao;ing  during  Lieut.  Stairs'  visit.  ( )ne 
of  tliese  deserters  had  marched  away  with  a  box  of 
ammunition,  another  had  stolen  a  box  containing  sonic 
of  Emin  Pasha's  boots  and  a  few  paiis  of  my  own. 
They  had  ventured  into  a  small  canoe  which  naturally 
was  capsized,  and  they  had  experienced  some  remark- 
able hair-breadth  escapes  before  they  arrived  at  Ugar- 
rowwa's. They  had  been  delivered  as  prisoners  to 
Lieut.  Stairs,  but  a  few  days  later,  they  again  esca[)cd 
to  Ugarrowwa's,  who  was  again  induced  to  deliver  them 
up  to  me.  These  two  afterwards  behaved  exceedingly 
well,  but  the  third,  while  a  victim  to  small-pox,  some  lew 
weeks  later,  escaped  from  the  care  of  his  friends  and 
leaped  into  the  Nejambi  Rapids,  where  he  was  drowned. 

Ugarrowwa,  ])cing  out  of  powder,  was  m(jre  thau 
usually  kind.  A  notable  present  of  four  goats,  four 
sacks  of  rice,  and  three  large  canoes  was  made  to  me. 
The  goats  and  rice,  as  may  be  imagined,  were  very 
welcome  to  us,  nor  were  the  canoes  a  despicable  gift,  as 
I  could  now  treble  the  rate  of  our  descent  down  the 
river ;  for  in  addition  t(j  our  own  canoes  the  entire  Ex- 
pedition of  130  fighting  men,  boys,  followers,  and  I\ladi, 
carriers,  besides  the  baggage  could  be  end)arked. 

No  news  had  been  obtained  of  our  Rear  Column  by 
either  the  couriers  or  UgarroW' wa.  The  letter  to  the 
Major,  wdiich  I  had  delivered  to  Ugarrowwa  for  despatch 
by  his  couriers  last  September,  was  now  returned  to 
me  with  the  letters  from  my  own  couriers.  He  had 
sent  forty-five  men  down  the  river,  but  at  Manginni, 
about  half-way  between  Wasp  Kapids  and  My-yui,  they 


18fl8. 
Aug.  U. 

Uaali-v.t. 


490 


IN  DARKEST  AFBTCA. 


1^88. 
Aug.  11. 
Biimieva. 


r :  I. 


■I'i 


l\'\ 


m 


I  !''iii 


ll 


hud  been  olJiged  to  return.  Thus  ])()th  efforts  to  (;oni- 
mnnieate  with  IMajor  Burttek)t  had  ])een  unsuccessful, 
and  could  not  but  deepen  the  hnpression  that  somethmo 
excteedingly  awry  had  occurred  with  the  Rear  C\)lunin. 
Anionir  the  letters  delivered  to  me  bv  Uiian-owwa  was 
one  open.  It  is  descriptive  and  amusini;,  and  char- 
acteristic; of  our  Doctor  : — 

"Fort  Bodo, 
"  My  dear  old  Bauttelot,  "  1^^''  ttbrmiry,  1888. 

"  1  hope  you  are  'going  strong/ and  Jameson  'pulling  double.' 
None  of  us  lierc  have  any  idea  where  you  are.  Some  of  us  oflicers 
and  men  say  you  are  on  tlie  way  uj)  river,  others  say  you  are  still  at 
Yambuya,  unable  to  move  with  a  large  niuuber  of  loads,  and  amongst 
the  men  there  is  an  idea  that  your  Zanzibaris  may  have  gone  over  to 
Tippu  Tib.  Stanley  reached  tlie  Iiake  14th  December,  1887,  but  could 
not  communicate  with  Enun  I'asha.  As  he  had  not  got  his  boat,  he 
then  came  back  from  the  Lake  into  the  bush,  and  maile  this  fort  to  ston; 
his  baggcage,  while  he  again  goes  on  to  the  Lake  with  Jephson  and  boat. 
Stairs  goes  to  Ugarrowwa's  to-morrow  with  twenty  men,  who  are  to  go 
on  to  you  and  who  bring  this  lettcsr.  Stairs  returns  here  with  about 
forty  or  fifty  men  who  were  left  at  Ugarrowwa's,  and  then  goes  on  after 
Stanley,  as'  the  ])lace  is  oidy  80  or  100  miles  from  the  Lake.  I  am  to  stay 
at  this  fort  with  forty  or  fifty  men.  Nelson,  who  has  l)een  ailing  for 
months,  therefore  also  remains  here.  We  had  an  awful  time  coming 
here.  I  often  said  I  was  starved  at  school,  but  it  was  stuffing  compared 
with  what  we  have  gone  through.  I  am  glad  to  say  all  the  white  men 
are  very  tit,  but  the  mortaiity  amongst  the  men  was  enormous,  something 
like  50  per  cent.  Up  to  Ugarrowwa's  there  is  ))lenty  of  food,  but  little 
or  none  along  the  river  this  side  of  Ugarrowwa's.  Stanley,  1  know,  is 
writing  you  all  about  the  starvation  and  the  road.  To-day,  Stanley  fell 
in  all  tlie  men,  and  asked  Hiem  all  if  they  wanted  to  go  to  the  Lake  or  go 
back  for  you.  Most  of  tlu^  men  at  first  wanted  to  go  liack,  but  after- 
wards the  majority  were  for  the  Lake;  both  Stairs,  Jejihson,  and  myself 
were  for  the  Lake,  so  as  to  decide  if  I'min  Pasha  was  alive  or  not,  so  as 
not  to  bring  your  column  up  all  this  way  and  then  go  back  to  Muta 
Nzige.  All  tlie  men  are  as  fat  as  butter,  some  of  them,  ho-w  ever,  who 
stayed  with  me  at  an  Arab  cam])  for  three  months,  where  j  was  kift  to 
look  after  Nelson,  and  sick  men,  and  boxes,  etc.,  are  reduced  to  skin  and 
bone.  Out  of  thirty-eight,  eleven  died  of  starvation.  Stairs  was  the  only 
officer  wounded,  but  many  of  the  men  died  from  their  wounds. 

"  We  are  all  in  a  bad  way  for  boots;  none  of  us  have  a  good  pair.  1 
have  ma<le  two  pairs  but  they  did  not  last  long,  and  all  my  clothes  have 
been  stolen  by  '  liehani,'  a  Zanzibari.  Stanley  has  had  me  working 
hard  all  day,  and  1  have  only  time  to  write  these  few  lines  as  the  sun 
is  going  (lown.  Our  jiarty  have  lost  and  sold  a  great  (|iiantity  of 
ummunition. 

"(rive  my  best  wishes  to  old  Jameson,  also  the  otlier  fellows  whom  1 
know;  and  hoping  to  see  you  uj)  here  before  long, 

"  Believe  me,  yours  v(>ry  sincerely, 

"J."  11.  r. 

"We  are  all  awfully  sick  of  this  '  bush' ;  it  continues  to  within  a  few 
miles  of  the  liUke." 


WHOLESALE  DE VASTA  TION. 


491 


f»arrt)wwa  was 
lii',  and   chai'- 


r  fellows  wlioin  1 


i  to  witliiii  a  fow 


The  next  day  was  a  halt.  The  senior  Chief  Flashid 
and  his  land  party  did  not  arrive  before  2  P.ivi.  of  the 
1  1th.  The  current  had  rnrried  our  flotilla  in  five  hours, 
a  journey  which  occupied  him  fifteen  hours'  march.  But 
on  the  1 2tli  of  August,  liaving  safely  passed  the  (?anoes 
below  the  rapids,  we  embarked  at  noon  and  proceeded 
down  rivei'.  Opposite  Elephant-playground  camp  we 
met  one  of  Ugarrowwa's  scoutino-  canoes  ascendino-  the 
men  of  which  related  wonderful  stories  of  the  streno'th, 
fierceness,  and  ])oidness  of  the  Batundu  natives.  Two 
hours  later  the  Batundu  drums  announced  our  advent 
on  the  riv(!i'  ;  but  wdien  their  canoes  advanced  to  reckon 
the  numbci'  of  our  vessels,  they  quietly  retired,  and  we 
occupied  their  chief  village  in  peace,  and  slept  undis- 
tur})ed  during  the  niiijht. 

At  8.  Mupe'  we  arrived  on  the  I3tli,  and  halted  one 
day  to  prepare  food  for  our  further  journey  (h)wn  river, 
but  on  the  next  day,  the  15th,  we  passed  the  flotilla 
safely  down  the  various  rapids,  and  camped  below  the 
lowest  Mariri  Kapids. 

Resuming  the  journey  on  the  UUh,  we  floated  and 
paddled  past  three  of  our  land  march  camps,  and  on  a 
large  island  possessing  huts  sufficient  to  acc^ommodate 
2,000  people  we  halted  for  the  night.  Both  banks  of 
the  river  were  unpeopled  and  abandoned,  but  no  one 
could  imj)art  any  reason  for  this  wholesale  devastation. 
Our  first  thought  was  that  our  visit  had  pei'haps  caused 
their  abandonment,  but  as  the  natives  had  occupied 
their  respective  villages  in  view  of  the  rear  guard,  we 
concluded  that  probably  some  internecine  war  was  the 
cause. 

This  dav  was  the  eit'hty-third  since  we  had  de|)artcd 
from  the  shores  of  the  Albert  Nyanza,  and  the  sixtieth 
since  we  had  left  Vovt  iJodo.  Our  progress  had  been 
singulai'ly  su(!cessful.  ( )f  the  naked  Madi  carriers  we 
had  lost  a  great  many,  nearly  half  of  tlie  luunber  that 
we  had  departed  from  tlu^  Nyanza  with  ;  but  of  the 
hardened  and  acclimatised  Zanzibaris  we  had  lost  but 
three,  two  of  whom  were  by  drowning,  and  one  was 
missing    through  a  fit  of  spleen.      Five    hundred    and 


1888. 
An?.  IJ. 

Butuiidu. 


imi' 


■  ■<■  ,  !• 


492 


/iV  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


\\\- 


h    i  I 


'.  lUti! 


1888.     sixty   miles    of    tlic    journey    hud   ])een    accomplished, 
Ang.  ifi.    ^\^QYQ,  were  ordy  ninety  miles  remnining  })etween  Bun- 

gc£""  gangeta  Island  and  Yand)uya,  yet  not  a  rumour  of  any 
kind  had  l)een  heard  respecting  the  fate  of  our  friends 
and  followers  of  the  rear  column.  This  constant  and  un- 
satisfied longing,  pressing  cm  my  mind  with  a  weight  as 
of  lead,  with  the  miserable  unnourishing  diet  of  dry  plan- 
tains, was  fast  reducing  me  into  an  aged  and  decrepit  state 
of  mind  and  Ijody.  That  old  buoyant  confident  feeling 
which  had  upheld  me  so  long  had  nearly  deserted  me 
(juite.  I  sat  near  sunset  by  the  waterside  alone,  watching 
the  sun  subside  lower  and  lower  before  the  horizon  of  black 
foliage  that  bounded  JMakubana,  the  limits  of  my  view. 
I  watched  the  ashen  grey  clouds  preceding  the  dark  calm 
of  night,  and  I  thought  it  represented  but  too  faithfully 
the  melancholy  which  I  could  not  shake  off.  This  day 
was  nearly  twelve  months  fnmi  the  date  the  rear  column 
should  have  set  out  fnmi  Yambuya — .'UJo  days.  Within 
this  period  100  carriers  (mly  might  have  been  able  to 
have  advance<l  as  far  as  Bungangeta,  even  if  they  had  to 
make  seven  I'ound  trips  backwards  and  forwards  ?  What 
couhl  possibly  have  happened  except  wholesale  desertion 
caused  by  some  misunderstanding  between  the  officers 
and  men  ?  In  the  darkness  I  turned  into  my  tent,  but 
in  my  nervous  and  highly-strung  state  could  find  no 
comfort  there  ;  and  at  last  1  yielded  and  imph)red  the  all- 
seeing  and  gracious  Pi-ovidenc'C  to  restore  to  me  my 
followers  and  ('oni|)anions,  and  allay  the  heartache  that 
was  killing  me. 

At  the  usual  hour  on  the  17th,  we  end)arked  in  our 
(canoes  and  resumecl  our  journey  down  the  river,  paddling 
languidly  as  we  floated.  It  was  a  soml)re  morning  ;  a 
heavy  greyness  of  sky  ])ainted  the  eternal  forest  tops  of 
a  sombi'ous  mourning  coloui'.  As  we  glided  pa.st 
Bungangeta  district  we  observed  tliat  the  desolation  had 
not  l)een  confined  to  it.  l»ut  that  Makubana  also  had 
shared  the  same  fate  ;  and  soon  aftei-  coming  in  view  of 
th(>  mighty  curve  of  Hanalya,  which  south  or  left  bank 
•  had  been  so  ])opulous,  we  observed  that  the  district  of 
the  Banaha   had  also  been  included.      But   about   half- 


THE  MAJOR,    BOYS 


498 


past  nine  we  saw  one  village,  a  great  way  down  through 
the  li<»;ht  mist  of  tlie  mornino-,  still  standinji;,  which 
we  supposed  was  the  limit  of  tho.  devastation.  But  as 
we  drew  near  we  discovered  that  it  had  a  stockade.  In 
July  1887,  when  we  passed  up,  Banalya  was  deemed  too 
powerful  to  need  a  stockade.  Presently  white  dresses 
were  seen,  and  ([uickly  taking  up  my  tiehl  glass,  I 
discovered  a  red  flag  hoisted.  A  suspicion  of  the  truth 
crept  into  my  mind.     A  light  puff  of  wind  unrolled  the 


1S8'<. 
Au,>,r.  17. 

Banalya. 


VIKW    Ub"    liANAbYA    (JLUVi:, 


flao'  for  an  instant,  and  the  white  crescent  and  star  was 
revealed.  1  sprang  to  my  feet  and  (M'ied  out.  "  Tlie 
Major,  hoys  I  Pull  away  hravely."  A  vociferous  shout- 
ing and  hurrahing  followed,  and  every  canoe  shot  forward 
at  racing  speed. 

Aliout  200  yards  fr*»m  the  village  we  st()ppc(l  [)addliiig, 
and  as  1  saw  a  great  nund)er  of  strangers  on  tin;  slioiv, 
I  asked,  "  Whose  men  arc  you  T'  "We  arc  Stanley's 
men,"  was   the   answer  delivered   in    niainhmd   Svvahili. 


I;  ? 


494 


JN  DAB  REST  AFRICA. 


if- 


1888. 
Aug.  17. 

Banalya. 


But  assured  hy  this,  and  still  more  so  as  we  recognised 
ft  European  near  the  gate,  we  paddled  aslnjre.  The 
European  on  a  nearer  view  turned  out  to  be  Mr.  William 
Bonny,  who  had  been  engaged  as  doctor's  assistant  to 
the  Expedition. 

Pressing  his  hand,  I  said, 

"  Well,  Bonny,  how  are  you  ?  Where  is  the  Majoi'  ? 
Sick,  r  suppose  ?  " 

"The  Major  is  dead,  sir." 

"  Dead  ?     Good  God  !     How  dead  ?     Fever  ?  " 

"  No,  sir,  he  was  shot." 

"  By  whom  ?  " 

"  By  thj  Manyuema — Tippu-Tib's  people." 

"  Good  heavens  !     Well,  where  is  Jameson  ?  " 

"  At  Stanley  Falls." 

"  What  is  he  doing  there,  in  the  name  of  goodness  ?  " 

"  He  went  to  obtain  more  carriers." 

"  Well  then,  where  is  Mr.  Ward,  or  Mr.  Troup  'i  " 

"  Mr.  Ward  is  at  Ban  gala." 

"  Ban  gala  !  Ban  gala  !  what  can  he  be  doing  there  't "' 

"  Yes,  sir,  he  is  at  Bangala,  and  Mr.  Troup  has  been 
invalided  home  some  months  ago." 

These  queries,  rapidly  put  and  answered  as  we  stood 
by  the  gate  at  the  water  side,  prepared  inc  to  hear  as 
deplorable  a  story  as  could  be  rendered  of  one  of  the 
most  remarkable  series  of  derangements  that  an  organized 
body  of  men  could  possibly  be  plunged  into. 

•iJespite  Mr.  Boniiy's  well  written  report  of  the  events 
which  had  occurred,  it  was  many  days  befoi'c  1  could 
find  time  to  study  and  understand  the  details.  The 
strangers  I  had  observed  belonged  to  Ti{)pu-Tib,  and 
they  now  pressed  congratulations  upf)n  our  arrival,  and 
our  people  hurrying  in  tlirough  the  narrow  gate  with 
the  bai»<»;aoe  from  the  canoes,  bawlinji;  out  recioL'nitiou 
of  their  fi'icnds,  leaping  with  joy,  ov  howbng  with  grief, 
made  Banalya  Camp  indescribably  tumultuous. 

Let  us  imagine  the  baggage  stored  orderly,  tlic 
canoes  lashed  to  stakes  firmly  driven  in  the  bank,  the 
congratulations  of  the  strangers  over,  the  Zanzibaris  of 
the    a<lvance    column    departed    from    our    immediate 


e  recognised 

ashore.     Tlie 

'.  Mr.  William 

assistant  to 


s  tlie  Major  ? 


ver 


?" 


?" 


)n  f 


goodness  ?  " 


Troup '(  " 

ing  there '(  " 
oup  has  been 

as  we  stood 
e  to  hear  as 
1"  one  of  the 
:  an  organized 
). 

of  the  events 
efore  1  could 
details.  Tlic 
ppu-Til),  and 
L'  arrival,  and 
)w  gate  with 
t  recognition 
ig  with  grief, 
ous. 

orderly,  the 
he  bank,  the 
Zanzibaris  of 
r    immediate 


a 


u 


n(^r.*l.- 


(■v.if   ■     ^ 

^ji : ' 

f[ 


AT  LAST  !      THAXKaOD! 


497 


vicinity  to  seek  their  loiig'-lost  friends  and  to  hear  the     i.sss. 
news,   the    8(ju(hinese    and    Zanzilniri  survivors  of   the  *^"^'"  ^"" 
rear  column  having  uttered  their  fervid  thanks  that  we     '^""  ^'^" 
had  at  hist — at  hist,  thank  God — come,  and  sucli  letters 
as  had  arrived  hastily  read,  despatches  hastily  written, 
sent  ])y  couriers   to    Stanley  Falls,  one  for   Tippu-Til) 
himself,  and  one  for  the  Committee  of  the  Relief  Fund, 
and  we  shall  be  at  liberty  to  proceed  with  the  story  of 
the  rear  column,  as  gathered  from  Mr.  Bonny 's  reports 
oral   and   written,   and  from   the    surviving  Soudanese 
soldiers  and  Zanzibaris,  and  we  shall  then  see  how  the 
facts  differed  or  agreed  with  our  anticipations. 

VOL.  I.  G  G 


h-  \- 


408 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


'mm.  ^ :;; 


ill-* 


CHAPTER   XX. 


I.  <  ' ! 


1888. 
Aug. 

Banalya. 


■    \ 

i 

\  1 

,  i 

1  '  ,  it 

1 

H 

m 

■    1  i 

1       i 

i    ■ 

M! 

I 

1         ■ 

THE   SAD   STORY    OF    THE    REAR    COLUMN. 

Tippu-Tilv-Major  E.  M.  Barttolot— Mr.  J.  S.  Jameson— 3Ii-.  Herbert 
Ward — Messrs.  Troup  and  Bonny — Major  Barttelot's  He])ort  on  the 
doinf,'S  of  tlie  rear  column — Conversation  with  Mr.  Bonny — Major 
Barttelot's  letter  to  Mr.  Bonny — Facts  gleaned  from  the  written 
narrative  of  Mr.  Wni.  Bonny — Mr.  Ward  detained  at  Bangala — 
Repeated  visits  of  the  IMajor  to  Stanley  Falls — Murder  of  Major 
Barttelot — Bonny's  account  of  the  murder— The  assassin  Sanga  is 
punished  —  Jameson  dies  of  fever  at  Bangala  Station  —  Meeting  of 
the  advance  and  rear  columns — Dreadful  state  of  the  camp — Tijjpu- 
Tib  and  Major  Barttelot — Mr.  Jameson — Mr.  Herbert  Ward's  report. 

The  principal  characters  of  the  foUuwiiig  narrative 
are  : — 

First,  Tippu-Til),  alias  Sheikh  Ilamed  l)in  Mohammed, 
a  man  wh(>  is  a  native  of  the  East  Coast  of  Africa,  of  Aral) 
descent.  Ke  lias  thousands  of  men  under  his  command. 
He  is  a  renowncJ  slave  trader,  with  a  passion  for  extend- 
ing his  coiKjuests  and  trattic  in  ivory  and  slaves,  who, 
while  meditatino;  war  acjainst  an  infant  State  lately 
created  in  Africa,  is  persuaded  to  agree  to  a  peace  pact, 
to  confine  his  destructive  raids  within  certain  limits,  and, 
finally,  to  lend  the  services  of  GOO  carriers  to  our  Expe- 
dition, which  is  destined  for  the  rescue  of  a  wortliy 
Governor  beleaguered  l)y  many  enemies  at  the  north  end 
of  the  All)ert  Nyanza. 

While  exhihitini''  the  utmost  o-oodwill.  unOTudoino; 
hospitality,  and  exercising  numerous  small  kindnesses  to 
the  officers  of  the  Expedition,  he  contrives  to  delay  per- 
forming the  terms  of  his  solemn  contract,  and  months 
are  wasted  before  he  moves  to  take  the  necessary  steps 
for  accomplishing  his  duties.  Finally,  as  the  officers 
provoke  him  by  constant  and  persistent  entreaties,  he 


Till':   SAD    STO/tV    OF    77/ /V    Ifh'.Hi    COLUMN. 


45>9 


on — ]Mr.  Herbert 
t's  Rejjort  on  the 
r.  Bonny — Major 
from  the  written 
3d  at  Ban  pa  la — 
Murder  of  Major 
issassin  Santra  is 
ion  —  Meeting  of 
lie  camp — Ti))pu- 
rt  Waril's  report. 

iiU"    narrative 


^rolianimed, 
frica,  of  Aral) 
lis  eomniaiid. 
>ii  for  exteiid- 
slaves,  who, 
State  lately 
a  peace  pact, 
11  limits,  and, 
to  our  Expe- 
of  a  worthy 
he  north  end 


makes  a  joni'ney  of  over  700  miles,  collects  the  carriers,     uw. 
and  after  eleven    months    systematic  delay,  sun-enders      ■^"^' 
them  to   his   white  frieuds.      lint  a   few  weeks   later   a     '"•' y^- 
catastrophe    occurs :     one    of    the    head-men    of    these 
carriers,  named  Sanga,  points  his  musket  at  the  })rinei- 
pal  European  otiicer  in  charge,  and  shoots  him  dead. 


MAJOU   BAUTTELOT 


Second,  is  Major  Edmund  ]Musgrave  Barttelot,  a 
generous,  frank,  and  chivalrous  young  English  othcei-, 
distinofuished  in  Afiihanistan  and  on  the  Soudanese  Nile 
for  pluck  and  performance  of  Axxty.  His  rank  and  past 
experience  in  the  c(mimand  of  men  entitle  him  to  the 
appointment  of  commander  of  the  rear  column.     He  is 


500 


JN  PAPKEST  AFRICA. 


1888. 
Aug. 

Banalya. 


'ii  I 


'I  > 


instructed  to  remain  at  Yanil»nya  until  the  arrival  of  a 
certain  contini'ent  of  carriers  from  Bolol)o,  in  the  cliaroe 
of  three  subordinate  otlicers,  Messrs.  Ward,  Tr  up,  .nd 
Bonny.  If  Tip])u-Til)  has  arrived  previcm"  to  (jr  by 
that  date,  he  is  to  lose  no  time  in  following-  the  tra*  k  of 
.the  advance  column,  which  has  pieceded  him  by  al)out 
seven  weeks.  If  Tippu-Til)  has  not  arrived  by  tlie  time 
the  B()h)l)0  continoent  has  reached  Yambuya.  he  is  to 
make  a  forward  move  by  slow  stages  with  his  own  force 
of  about  210  carriers,  making  repeated  trips  l)ackwards 
and  forwards  until  all  the  essentials  are  removed  from 
camp  to  camp  ;  he  is  allowed  discretion  what  to  dispense 
with  in  order  to  be  enabled  t(j  march  ;  the  articles  are 
mentioned  wdiicli  may  be  thrown  away.  He  declares  the 
instructions  to  be  clear  and  intelligible.  He  vows  that 
he  will  not  wait  longer  at  Yambuya  than  the  arrival  of 
the  Bolobo  people,  and  satisfies  us  all  that  in  him  we 
liave  a  man  of  energy,  resolution,  and  action,  and  tint 
there  is  no  need  of  anxiety  respecting  the  conduct  of 
the  rear  column.  In  every  letter  and  report  he 
appears  animated  by  the  utuK^st  loyalty  and  willing 
spirit. 

Third,  is  a  young  civilian  named  James  Sligo  Jameson, 
a  gentleman  of  wealth,  with  a  passion  for  natural  history 
studies,  wdio,  professing  a  fraternal  attachment  for  his 
friend  the  Major,  is  appointed  second  in  command  of  the 
rear  column.  It  is  reported  of  him,  that  "  his  alacrity, 
capacity,  and  willingness  to  work  are  unbounded  ";  what- 
soever his  friend  the  Major  proposes  receives  the  ready 
sanction  of  Mr.  Jameson  ;  and  he  has  a  claim  to  having 
much  experience  and  judgment  for  former  adventurous 
travels  in  Mashona  Land  and  Matabele.  Barely  four 
weeks  after  the  assassination  of  his  friend  he  dies,  utterly 
worn  out  l)y  fever  and  trouljle. 

Three  young  Englishmen  come  last,  who  are  attached 
to  the  Major's  staff",  two  of  whom,  ]\Ir.  Herltert  Ward  and 
Mr.  Troup,  are  to  be  associated  with  the  commander  and 
his  second  in  the  discussion  of  every  vital  step,  and  no 
important  decision  can  be  taken  unless  a  council  of  the 
four  has  been  convened  to  consider  it  as  to  its  bearing- 


IIElinEUT    WARD    JXD   JO/IX  liOsE    Tit O UP. 


601 


upon  the  entorpiisc  for  wliicli  they  i::ivo  assoinlilcd  on 
the  verge  of  tlie  imkiiowii  reoion  of  woods.  Tliev  are 
therefore  implieated  in  the  (•onse(juen('es  of  any  resohi- 
tion  and  every  se(|uent  act.  Tliey  are  not  hovs  new 
from  school,  and  fresh  from  tlie  })arental  care.  Thev  aie 
mature  and  travelled  men.     ^Ir.  Ilerhert  Ward  has  seen 


Aiii;. 
Uanulva; 


and   willing 


MR.   JAMESON. 


are  attached 
L't  Ward  and 
mander  and 
tej),  and  no 
)uncil  of  the 
)  its  bearing 


service  in  Borneo,  New  Zealand. and  Congo  land ;  is  bright, 
intelligent  and  capable.  ^Fr.  John  Rose  Troup  has  also 
served  under  my  command  in  the  Congo  State,  and  has 
been  mentioned  in  mv  record  of  the  founding-  of  that 
State  as  an  industrious  and  zealous  officer.  Air.  William 
Bonny  has  seen  service  in  the  Zulu  and  Nile  camjjaigns, 


"tr 


rm 


7.V   JtMlKKsT  A  Fin  ('A. 


18BH. 
Aug. 

Itnnalra. 


■i  t 


!  I 


j. 


li 


lias  lived  yeai's  in  South  Aiueiica,  ami  a]){)i'ais  to  l»o 
a  staid  and  oltservin^^  man. 

Now  hero  is  tlu'  inexplicable  mystery.  We  have 
])aited  from  them  while  warmly  and  even  affectionately 
attached  to  eai'h  other.  We  have  ])li;;iited  our  words 
one  to  the  other.  "  Fear  not,"  say  they;  "  we  shall  l»e 
doinir  an<l  strivinu'.  cheert'uUv  and  lovallv."  We  believe 
them,  and  hand  in  hand  we  pledge  ourselves. 

We  return  from  our  (piest  of  Emin  Pasha,  and  ac- 
cording to  Major  Barttelot's  own  Report  (see  Ai)peudix) 
we  learn  the  following  striking  facts  : — 

1st.  "  Rumour  is  always  rife,  and  is  sehlom  correct, 
com-erning  Mr.  Stanley.  lie  is  not  dead  to  the  best  of 
my  belief.  I  have  been  obliged  to  open  Mr.  Stanley's 
boxes,  as  I  cannot  carry  all  his  stuff." 

He  sends  to  Bangala  all  my  clothing,  maps,  and 
charts,  reserved  medicines  for  the  Expedition,  photo 
chemicals  and  reserve  negatives,  extra  springs  for  Win- 
chesters, Remingt(ms,  essentials  for  tents,  and  my  en i ire 
canteen.  He  reduces  me  to  absolute  nakedness.  J  am 
so  poor  as  to  be  compelled  to  l)eg  a  pair  of  pants 
from  Mr.  Bonny,  cut  anothe"  pair  from  an  old  white 
blanket  in  the  possessicHi  of  a  deserter,  and  another  from 
a  curtain  in  my  tent.  But  Messrs.  fFameson,  Troup,  and 
Bonny  are  present,  concurring  and  assisting,  and  the 
two  last-named  receive  salaries,  and  both  present  their 
accounts  and  are  paid,  not  a  penny  deducted,  and  a 
liberal  liuricf^se  besides  in  first-class  passages  home  is 
granted  to  them. 

2nd.  "  There  are  four  other  Souchmese  and  twenty- 
nine  Zanzibaris  who  are  unal)le  to  proceed  with  us." 

"  Two  cases  of  Madeira  were  also  sent  him  (Mr. 
Stanlev).  One  case  I  am  sending  l)ack" — that  is,  down 
the  C(jngo.  He  also  collects  a  choice  assortment  of  jams, 
sardines,  herrings,  wheaten  Hour,  sago,  tapioca,  arrow- 
root, &c.,  and  ships  them  on  board  the  steamer  wdiicli 
takes  Mr.  Troup  homeward.  And  there  are  thii'ty-three 
dying  men  in  cam}).  We  may  presume  that  the  othei- 
gentlemen  concurred  in  this  deed  also. 

3rd.   "  I  shall  go  on  to  Wadelai,  and  ascertain  from 


QrOTATlOXS  FROM  MAJOIt  IlAUTTKl.OTS  DKSPATCIf.    oUS 


certain  from 


Eniin  Pasha,  it"  he  l>e  tlu'iv  still,  if  he  has  any  iirws 
ot"  Mr.  Staiik'V  ;  also  of  his  own  intentions  as  ivuards 
.stayin<:ij  or  leavini:;.  I  need  not  tell  you  that  all 
our  endeavours  will  l»e  most  strenuous  to  make  the 
(juest  in  which  we  are  ^'oin*;'  a  su(;eeH.s.  it  may  lie  he 
only  ncetls  amnninition  to  <;et  away  l»y  himself,  in 
which  case  1  would  in  all  })rol>al)ility  l>e  able  to  supply 
nun. 

On  the  14tli  of  Auj]fust  Mr.  John  Rose  Tnaip  has 
delivered  over  to  xMajor  J3arttelot  li^l)  cases  Rcmiiiij^ton 
riHe  cartridges,  in  adciltion  to  the  twentv-nine  left  hv  me 
at  Yambuya.  These  158  cases  contain  80,000  I'ounds. 
By  June  ytli  (see  liarttelot's  Report)  this  su[)ply  has 
dwindled  down  to  .']5,580  I'ounds.  Thei-e  has  been  no 
marching,  no  fiohting.  They  have  decreased  during  a 
camp  life  of  eleven  months  in  the  most  umu-countable 
manner.  There  are  left  with  the  rear  column  only  suffi- 
cient to  give  fifty  rounds  to  each  rifle  in  the  possession 
of  Emin  Pasha's  troops.  Half  of  the  gunpowder, 
and  more  than  two-thirds  of  the  bales  of  cloth, 
have  disappeared.  Though  Yambuya  originally  con- 
tained a  store  of  1300,000  ])ercussion-cap.s,  it  has 
been  found  necessary  to  purchase  £48  wcjrtli  ii  jm 
Tippu-Tib. 

4th.  "  The  loads  we  do  not  take  are  to  be  sent  to 
Bangahi.  Tliey  will  l»e  loaded  (on  the  steamers)  on 
June  8th  (1888),  a  receipt  being  given  for  them  by 
Mr.  Van  Kerkhoven,  which  is  forwarded  to  you ; 
also  a  letter  of  instructions  to  him  and  to  ]\Ir.  AVard. 
Perhaps  you  would  kindly  give  the  re(|uisite  order 
concerning  the  loads  and  two  canoes  purchased  for 
Mr.  Ward's  transport,  as  it  is  nearly  certain  1  shall  not 
return  that  way,  and  shall  have,  thererore,  no  further 
need  of  them  or  /tiin.^'  (See  Appendix — Barttelot's 
Report). 

Mr.  Ward  has  been  despatched  down  river  to  telegra})h 
to  the  Committee  lor  instructions  ;  he  was  supposed  to 
l)ring  those  instructions  back  from  tlie  sea  Avitli  him. 
Here  we  are  told  the  Major  has  no  further  need  of  him. 
He  has  also  written  to  Captain  Van  Kerkhoven,  of  Ban- 


11^  i^-^, 

Aug. 
Ranalva. 


*1f" 

504 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


ill 


mm\ 


in 


i 

1 

i 

li 
\ 

,1 

i 

1  i 

I 


III.  :           m        ' 

i       ■■                   "      '    i               '  ■ 

^^       il    : 

i|;    .i     ^1; 

Jfi  ^^  n-' 

1888. 
Aug. 

Banalya. 


gala,  not  to  allow  him  to  ascend  al)ove  Bangala.  In  the 
la.st  paragraph  of  Mr.  Jameson's  letter  to  ^Ir.  Bonny  I 
note  a  reference  to  this  change. 

5th.  The  rear  column  consisted  of  271  souls  rank 
and  file  when  we  j^'^i'ted  from  Yambuya,  June  28th, 
1887. 

In  October,  1887,  this  force,  according  to  a  letter  from 
the  Major,  had  decreased  to  246  men. 

On  June  4th,  1888,  while  the  rear  column  lies  still  in 
the  same  camp  (see  the  ^Major's  Report)  it  has  diminished 
to  135  men  rank  and  file. 

On  August  17tli,  1888,  I  demand  from  Mr.  AVilliam 
Bonny,  who  is  in  sole  charge  at  that  date,  an  official 
report  as  to  the  number  of  men  left  of  the  rear  column, 
and  he  presents  me  with  the  following : — 

"  List  of  Zan/'baris  left  l)y  jMr.  Stanley  at  Bolol)o  and 
Yaml)uya,  inclusive  of  eleven  men,  deserters,  j^icked  up 
from  advance  column  : — 

78  dead. 

20  ck'Kortod. 

lU  with  Mr.  Jameson  (Bangala). 
2t)  left  sick  at  Yambuya. 

5  left  sick  on  road. 
75  present  at  Banalya,  August  17tli,  1888. 

223 

Eetnrn  of  8oudar.pse  and  Somalis  and  Syrians  left  at 
Yaml)uya  : — 

21  died. 

1  killed  Ity  natives. 

1  executed  by  order  of  I\rajor  Barttelot. 

8  sent  down  Congo  to  Egypt. 

4  left  sick  at  Yambuya. 

1  sick  handed  over  to  care  of  Congo  State. 

22  present  at  Banalya,  August  17tli,  1888. 


53 
223 


276 


Eeturn    of  British    officers   left    by    ^Ir.    Stanley    at 
Bolobo  and  Yambuva  :— 


TEBinDLE  MORTABITY. 


r>(lo 


a  letter  from 


1888. 

Ausr. 


1  Jolm  Rose  Trou)),  invalidt-d  liomo. 

1  Herliert  Ward,  sent  clown  river  by  Major  Barttelot. 

1  James  S.  Jameson,  ])rocee<lecl  down  Congo 

1  Edmund  M.  Barttelot,  Major  (murdered).  Baualya. 

1  William  Bonny,  present  at  Baualya,  August  17th,  1888. 


27() 
2.S1 


11  deserters  trorn  advance  column. 


270 
1  error. 


271 


78 
2'J 
4 
5 
21 
1 
1 


Dead  and  lost. 

Zanzil)aris  dead, 
left  sick  at  Yamhuya. 
left  sick  at  Yamhuya. 
left  sick  on  road. 
Soudanese  dead, 
killed  by  natives, 
executed. 


189 


I'iaiis  left  at 


Gtli.  The  steamer  Stcuih'i/  arrived  at  Yamhiiya  on  tlic 
14th  of  August,  within  a  few  days  of  the  date  mentioned 
in  tlie  Letter  of  Instructions.  On  the  17th  she  depaits 
to  her  port  at  Leopohlvillo.  and  lias  severed  all  connee- 
ti(m  with  the  Expedition.  The  otii  T-rs  of  the  ("on,o() 
State  have  behaved  loyally  according'  to  their  Sovereiun's 
promise.  It  only  remains  now  for  the  I'ear  colunni  to 
pack  up  and  depnrt  slowly  hut  steadily  along  our  track, 
because  Tippu-Tih  has  not  arrived,  and  ueeording  to  the 
issue  anticipated  will  not  come. 

I  turn  to  Mr.  Bonny,  and  ask,  ''Were  you  not  all 
anxious  to  he  at  work  T' 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  Were  y(m  not  burning  to  be  otf  from  Vand»uva  I  " 
1  es,  sn*. 

'•  Were  you  all  e<|ually  desirous  to  be  on  the  road  T' 

"  1  believe  so.     Yes,  sii-." 

•'Well,  .Mr.  Bonny,  tell  me -if  it  be  true  that  vou 
were  all  burning,  eager,  and  anxious  to  be  off — whv  nou 


I!,'   . 


50fj 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


u.' 


III  I ' 


II: 


Wifi'! 


li ' 

li 

li;^ 

ii 

'  ■         '  *■  1  ■ 

i      i     ■ 

i 

1H8S.     did  not  devise  some  plan  lietter  tlian  travelling  l)aek- 
^"^-     wards   and   forwards    between    Yanil>uya   and    Stanley 

Banalya.    j^^.,jj^  2  " 

"  I  am  sure  T  don't  know,  sir.  I  was  not  the  chief, 
and  if  you^rill  observe,  in  the  Letter  of  Instructions  you 
did  not  even  mention  my  name." 

"  That  is  very  true  ;  I  ask  your  pardon  ;  l)ut  you 
surely  did  not  remain  silent  because  1  omitted  to  men- 
tion your  name,  did  you — you  a  salaried  official  of  the 
Expediti(m?" 

"  No,  sir.     I  did  speak  often." 

*'  Did  the  others  ?  " 

"  1  don't  know,  sir." 

1  have  never  obtained  further  light  from  Mr.  Bonny, 
though  at  eveiy  leisure  hour  it  v/as  a  constant  theme. 

A  year  after  this  we  were  at  Usaml)iro,  south  of  the 
Victoria  Nyanza,  and  1  received  a  clipping  of  a  news- 
paper wherein  there  was  a  copy  of  Major  Barttelot's 
letter  of  October,  1887.  There  was  a  portion  which 
said,  "  We  shall  l)e  ()l>liged  to  stay  here  until  November." 
I  know  that  they  thought  they  were  ol)liged  to  remain 
until  -June  11,  1888.  I  turn  to  Major  Barttelot's  letter 
of  June  4th,  1888  (see  Appendix),  \vherein  he  says,  "I 
feel  it  my  bounden  duty  to  proceed  on  this  business,  in 
which  1  am  fully  upheld  by  both  Mr.  Jameson  and 
Mr.  B<mny ;  to  wait  longer  would  be  both  useless  and 
culpalde,  as  Ti})pu-Til)  has  not  the  remotest  intention 
of  helping  us  any  more,  and  to  withdraw  would  be 
pusillanimous,  and,  1  am  certain,  entirely  contrary  to 
your  wishes  and  those  of  the  Committee." 

1  turned  to  my  Letter  of  Jnstructicms,  and  I  find  in 
Paragraph  10  : 

"  it  may  liaj)|)en  th.it  though  Tippu-Tib  has  sent 
some  men,  he  has  not  sent  enough  to  carry  the  goods 
with  your  own  force.  In  that  case  you  will  of  course 
use  your  discretion  as  to  what  goods  you  can  dispense 
with,  to  enable  you  to  march." 

Paragi-aph  M.  "  If  you  still  cannot  march,  then  it 
would  be  better  to  make  marches  of  six  miles  twice  over, 
if  you  prefer  marching  to  staying  for  our  arrival,  than 


MAJOR   BARTTELOTS   SUCCESSOR. 


507 


111(1  I  find  in 


throw  too  many  things  away."     (See  Letter  of  Instvuc- 
tions  in  a  preceding  chaptei'.) 

At  U.samljii'o  also  I  received  tlie  answer  whicli  the 
Committee  sent  in  reply  to  Mr.  Ward's  cablegram  from 
St.  Paul  de  Loanda,  asking  them  to  "  wire  advice  and 
opinion." 

To  Major  liarffelof.  Care  Wctnf,  Coiif/o. 
"  Committer  refer  you  to  Stahhi/n  ordern  <>/  the  ''lith  June.     If  you  t^tiJI 
civmot  inarch  in  (uxordance  witli  t/itse  orilern,t/ien  stay  n'her'-  yon.  are,  awad- 
iny  his  arrival,  or  until  you  rece  i  re  fresh  instructions  from  Stanley." 

A  committee  6000  miles  away  penetrate  into  the 
spirit  of  the  instructi<ms  instantly,  but  a  c(mimittee  of 
five  officers  at  Yanil)uya  do  not  appear  to  understand 
them,  though  they  have  been  drawn  u[)  on  the  clear 
understanding  that  ea(;li  officer  would  premier  active 
movement  and  occupation  to  an  inactive  life  and  idle 
waitino;  at  Yambuva. 

7th.  Mr.  William  Boiinv,  whose  capacity  to  under- 
take serious  resp(msibilities  is  unknown  to  me,  is  not 
mentioned  in  the  Letter  of  Instructions. 

On  my  return  to  Banalya,  Mr.  Bonny  hands  me  the 
following  order  written  by  Major  Barttelot. 

"  Yambuva  Canii), 

"  Aj>ril  ±2n'/,  1888. 

"  Sir, — In  event  of  my  death,  detention  of  Arabs,  absence  from  any 
cause  from  Yambuya  camp,  you  will  assume  charge  of  the  Southmcse  com- 
pany, the  Zanzibar  company,  and  take  charge  of  the  stores,  sleeping  in 
the  house  where  they  arc  placed.  All  orders  to  Zanzibaris,  Somalis,  and 
Soudanese  will  be  issued  by  you  and  to  them  only.  All  issues  of  cloth, 
matako  (brass  rods),  etc.,  will  be  at  your  discretion,  but  ex])enditure  of 
all  kinds  must  as  much  as  po.ssible  be  kept  under.  Relief  to  Mr.  Stanley, 
care  of  the  loads  and  men,  good  understanding  between  yourself  and  the 
Arabs  must  be  your  earnest  care;  anything  or  anybody  attempting  to 
interfere  between  you  and  these  matteis  must  be  instantly  removed. 

"  I  have  the  honour  to  be,  Sir,  iScc, 

"  Edmund  M.  JiAtiTTia.oT, 
"  Major:' 

What  remains  for  the  faithful  Jameson,  "  whose 
alacrity,  ('a|)a(*ity,  and  willingness  to  work  arc  un- 
bounded," to  do  ^  Wlici'c  is  the  promising,  intelligent, 
and  capal»le  Ward  ;*  What  ])osition  rcmaius  for  the 
methodical,  business-like,  and  zealous  Mr,  John  Hose 
Troup?     JMr.  Bonny  has  been  suddenly  elevated  to  the 


188S. 
Auj;. 

Banal  v;i. 


V' 


I    i 

I  < 

'i  il 


'I 


1888. 
Aug. 

Banalya. 


ii|siiiiii'i 


m 


mi 


\ 

i 

1, , 

i 

1 

1 

•5T« 


IN  DARKEST  AFltlCA. 


f'ommand  of  the  rear  column  in  the  event  of  any  un- 
happy accident  to  iMajor  Barttelot. 

My  first  fear  was  that  I  had  l)ecome  insane.  When 
I  alone  of  all  men  attempt  to  reconcile  these  inexplic- 
al)le  contrarinesses  with  what  I  know  animated  each  and 
every  officer  of  the  rear  column,  I  find  that  all  the  wise 
editors  of  London  differ  from  me.  In  the  wonderful 
l()<X-l)ook  entries  T  read  noble  zeal,  indefatioable  labour, 
marches  and  countermarches,  and  a  limitless  patience. 
In  t:i'  Major's  official  report,  in  Mr.  Jameson's  last  sad 
letter  (see  Appendix),  I  discern  a  singleness  of  purpose, 
inflexible  resolve  and  the  true  fibre  of  lovaltv,  tireless 
energy,  and  faith,  and  a  devotion  which  disdains  all  cal- 
culation of  cost.  When  I  came  to  com])are  these  things 
one  with  another,  my  conclusi(jn  was  that  the  officers 
at  Yambuya  had  manifestly  been  indifferent  to  the 
letter  of  instructicms,  and  had  forgotten  their  prtmiises. 
When  Mr.  Bonny  told  me  that  one  of  them  had  risen  at 
a  mess  meeting  to  propose  that  my  instructions  should 
])e  cancelled,  and  that  the  ideas  of  Major  Barttelot 
should  be  carried  out  in  future — it  did  appear  to  me 
that  the  most  charitable  construction  that  could  be 
placed  upon  such  conduct  was  that  they  were  indifferent 
to  any  suggestions  which  had  been  drawn  out  purposely 
to  satisfy  their  own  oft-repeated  desire  of  "  moving  on." 

But  how  I  wish  that  I  had  ])een  there  f(n-  just  one 
hour  only  on  that  August  17th,  1887,  when  the  five 
officers  were  asseml)led — adrift  and  away,  finally  from 
all  touch  with  civilization — to  discuss  what  they  should, 
do,  to  tell  them  that 

"  Jov'k  soul  lies  in  tlio  doinp;, 
And  the  raiiture  of  inu'suinp 
Is  tlie  ])rize." 

To  remind  them  that 

"  The  path  of  duty  is  the  way  to  glory." 

What  I  count  your  hundreds  of  loads !  What  are 
they?  Look,  it  is  sim))ly  this:  200  carriers  are  here 
to-day.  There  are  500  loads.  Hence  to  the  next  vil- 
lage is  ten   miles.     In  six   da}s  your   200   men   have 


THE   PATH   OF  DUTY. 


5U9 


& 


carried  the  500  loads  ten  miles.  In  four  months  vou 
are  inland  a1)out  150  miles.  In  eight  months  you  are 
300  miles  nearer  to  the  Xyanza,  and  long  l)efore  that 
time  you  have  liohtened  vour  lalxnirs  l)y  convevinu- 
most  of  your  burdens  in  canoes  ;  you  will  have  heard 
all  about  that  advance  (column  as  early  as  October,  the 
second  month  of  work  ;  for  powder  anil  guns,  you  may 
get  Ugarrowwa's  flotilla  to  help  you,  and  l)y  tlie  time 
the  advance  column  starts  from  Fort  Bodo  to  hunt 
you  up,  you  will  l)e  safe  in  Ugarrowwa's  settlement,  and 
long  ])efore  that  you  will  have  met  the  couriei-s  with 
charts  of  the  route  with  exact  information  of  what 
lies  before  you,  where  food  \v  to  l)e  ()])tained,  and  every 
one  of  you  will  l)e  healthier  and  happier,  and  you  will 
have  the  satisfaction  (jf  naving  performed  even  a  greater 
task  than  the  advance  column,  and  ol)tained  the 
"  kudos  "  which  you  desired.  The  bigger  the  work  the 
greater  the  joy  in  doing  it.  That  whole-hearted  striv- 
ing and  wrestling  w4tli  Difficulty  ;  the  laying  hold  with 
firm  grip  and  level  head  and  calm  resolution  of  the 
monster,  and  tugging,  and  toiling,  and  wrestling  at  it,  to- 
day, to-morrow,  and  the  next  until  it  is  done  ;  it  is  the 
soldier's  creed  of  forward,  ever  forward — it  is  the  man's 
faith  that  for  this  task  was  he  born.  Don't  think  of 
the  morrow's  task,  Ijut  what  you  have  to  do  to-day, 
and  go  at  it.  When  it  is  over,  rest  tranipiilly,  and 
sleep  well. 

But  I  was  unable  to  be  present ;  I  could  only  rely  on 
their  promise  that  they  would  limit  theii'  faith  in  Tippu- 
Tib  until  the  concentration  of  all  officers  and  men 
attached  to  the  rear  column,  and  insist  that  the  Idazing 
(m  the  trees,  the  broad  arrow-heads  pointing  the  way, 
should  be  well  made  for  their  clenr  uuidamte  throunji 
the  almost  endless  woods,  from  one  side  of  the  forest 
to  its  farthest  edo'e.  Yet  curiouslv  hungering  to  know 
why  Barttelot,  who  was  "  s2)oiling  for  work,"  and  Jame- 
son, who  was  so  earnest,  and  had  ])aid  a  thousand 
pounds  for  the  privilege  of  being  with  us,  and  Ward, 
who  I  thought  was  to  be  the  future  Clive  of  Africa,  and 
Troup,  so  noted  for  his  industry,  and  Bonny,  so  steady 


18S8. 
Aug. 

Baualva, 


i  i   I 


■III  W  it 


i''l 

! 

.   ! 

i 

i 

1 

1888. 
Aug. 

Banal  v!t. 


'W'. 


r.io 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


and  so  ()l)e(iicnt,  so  iiiicoiiscioiisly  acted  as  to  utterly 
prevent  tliem  from  doing'  wliat  I  believe  from  my  fouI 
they  wished  to  do  as  much  as  I  or  any  other  of  us  did, 
a  conviction  flashes  upon  my  mind  that  there  has  ])een 
a  supernatural  malignant  influence  or  agency  at  work 
to  thwart  everv  hon-est  intention. 

A  few  instances  will  tend  to  strengthen  this  con- 
viction. 1  fi'eely  and  heartily  admit  that  the  five 
officers  ])urned  to  leave  Yam])uya,  and  to  assist  in  pro- 
secuting unto  successful  issue  the  uni({ue  enterprise 
they  had  sacrificed  so  much  comfort  t(»  join.  But  they 
are  utterly  unable  to  move,  try  how  they  may.  They 
l)elieve  I  am  alive,  and  they  now  to  make  a  strenuous 
quest  for  me,  but  they  reduce  me  to  nakedness.  They 
are  determined  to  start  in  (juest  and  relief  of  Emin 
Pasha,  because  "  to  withdraw  wov.M  Ije  pusillanimous, 
and  to  stay  longer  would  be  culpa  )le,"  and  yet  they 
part  with  the  necessary  ammunition  that  they  wish  to 
carry  to  him.  They  confess  that  there  are  thirty-three 
sick  men  unable  to  move  at  Yambuya,  and  yet  the  very 
stores,  medicaments,  and  wine  that  might  have  saved 
tliem  they  l)ox  up  and  send  to  Bangala,  after  first 
obtaining  a  receipt  for  them.  They  have  all  signed 
agreements  wherein  each  officer  shall  have  a  fair  share 
of  all  European  preserved  provisions,  perfect  delicacies, 
and  yet  they  decline  to  eat  them,  or  allow  the  sick  men 
to  eat  them,  but  despatch  them  out  of  the  hungry 
woods  to  the  station  of  Bangala.  Mr.  Bonny,  as  I 
understand,  expressed  no  regret  or  audible  dissent  at 
their  departure.  From  ])ui'e  habit  of  discipline  he 
refrained  from  demanding  his  fair  share,  and  like  a  g()od 
Englishman,  but  mighty  poor  democrat,  he  parted  with 
his  inalienable  right  without  a  nuu'mur.  They  searched 
for  Manyuema  slaves,  canniltals  of  the  Bakusu  and  Bason- 
gora  tribes  to  replace  their  dead  Zanzibaris  and  Sou- 
danese, Somalis  and  Syrians,  and  it  came  to  pass  a  few 
weeks  after  they  had  obtained  these  canni])als  that  one 
of  their  head  men  assassinates  the  English  (-onnnander. 
Also  on  !•  fatal  date,  fatal  because  that  resolution  to 
wait  sealed  their  fate,  an  officer  of   the  advance  column 


A   SUPEJiXAlTIiAL   JXFLUEyX'E. 


.M  L 


was  straying  tliroiio-li  an  impcnGtral)le  ])U.sli  witli  :300 
despairing  men  })ebin(l  liini,  and  on  this  fatal  date  tlie 
next  year,  Mr.  Bonny,  the  sole  snrvivor  of  the  English 
band,  pours  into  my  ears  a  terrible  tale  of  death  and 
disaster,  while  at  the  same  hour  poor  Jameson  breathes 
his  last,  tired  and  worn  out  with  his  futile  struggles  to 
"  move  on  "  at  Bangala,  500  miles  west  of  me  ;  and 
600  miles  east  of  me,  the  next  day,  Vauiu  Pasha  and 
^[r.  Jephson  walk  into  the  arms  of  the  rebel  soldiery 
of  E(|uatoria, 

This  is  all  very  uncanny  if  you  think  of  it.  There  is 
a  supernaturjd  (Halderk'  operating  which  surpasses  the 
conception  and  attainment  of  a  mortal  man. 

In  addition  to  all  these  mischiefs  a  vast  croji  of  Iving 
is  germinated  in  these  (hirksonie  shades  in  the  vicinity 
of  Stanley  Falls,  or  along  the  course  of  the  I'pper 
Congo,  showing  a  measureless  cunning,  and  an  in- 
satiable love  of  horror.  My  own  murder  appears  to  l)e 
a  favourite  theme,  (juantities  of  human  bones  are  said  U) 
be  discovered  bv  some  reconnoitrinu'  ])artv,  human 
limbs  are  said  to  l)e  found  in  cookins:  ,)ots,  sketches  by 
an  aniateur  artist  are  reported  to  have  been,  made  of 
whole  families  indulging  in  camiibal  repasts  ;  it  is  more 
than  hinted  that  Englishmen  are  inipli<'ated  in  i-aids, 
murder,  and  cannibalism,  that  they  have  been  making 
targets  of  native  fugitives  while  swimming  in  the 
Aruwimi,  all  for  the  mere  sake  of  infusing  terror,  alarm, 
and  grief  among  (juiet  English  people,  and  to  plague 
our  friends  at  home. 

The  instruments  this  chirk  power  elects  for  the  <lis- 
semination  of  these  calumnious  fal)les  are  as  various  in 
their  professions  as  in  their  nationality.  It  is  a  deserter 
one  day,  and  the  next  it  is  an  engineer  of  a  steamer  ;  it 
is  now  a  slave-trader,  or  a  slave  ;  it  is  a  guileless  mis- 
sionary in  search  of  work,  or  a  dismissed  Syrian  ;  it  is  a 
young  artist  with  morbid  tastes,  or  it  is  an  oth.*er  of 
the  Congo  Free  State.  Each  in  his  turn  Itecomes  pos- 
sessed with  an  insane  desire  to  sav  or  write  somethimi 
which  overwhelms  comuKjn  sense,  and  exceeds  ordinary 
belief. 


r>aiialva. 


it 


ii.i' 


liil    ' 


If! 


1 

1 

, 

ill 

i 

1 

J 

512 


7.V  DARKEST  AFniCA. 


1888. 
Aug. 

Banalya. 


From  the  otiicial  written  narrative  of  ^\v.  William 
Bonny  I  glean  the  following,  and  array  the  facts  in 
clear  order. 

The  Stdidci/  .steamer  has  departed  from  Yamljuya 
early  in  the  morning  of  August  17th,  1887.  The  goods 
she  has  brought  up  are  stored  within  the  magazine, 
and  as  near  as  I  can  oatlier  there  are  2GG  men  within 
the  entrenched  camp.  As  they  are  said  to  have  met 
to  deliberate  upon  their  future  steps  we  may  assume 
that  the  letter  of  instructions  was  read,  and  that  thev 
did  not  understand  them.  They  think  the  wisest  plan 
would  )»e  "o  await  Tippu-Tib,  who,  it  will  l)e  rememl)ered, 
had  promised  to  ^lajor  Barttelot  that  he  would  Ite 
after  him  within  nine  days. 

On  this  day  the  otticers  heard  firing  across  the  river 
almost  opposite  to  Yam])uya.  Through  their  binoculars 
they  see  the  al)origines  chased  into  the  river  by  men 
dressed  in  white  clothes,  who  are  shooting  at  them  from 
the  north  or  right  l)ank.  Conceiving  that  the 
marauders  must  be  some  of  Tippu-Tib's  men,  they 
resolve  upon  electing  an  otticer  and  a  few  men  to 
interview  them,  and  to  cease  from  molesting  the  natives 
who  have  lono-  aoo  become  friendlv  and  are  under  their 
protection.  The  officer  goes  across,  finds  their  camp, 
and  invites  Altdallah,  their  chief,  to  visit  the  English 
commander  of  Yambuya.  The  Alajor  thus  learns  that 
these  marauders  really  belong  to  Tippu-Tib,  and  that 
Stanley  Falls  is  but  six  days'  march  overland  from 
Yambuya.  Probaldy  believing  that,  after  all,  Tippu-Tib 
may  l)e  persuaded  to  assist  the  Expedition,  he  in(|uires 
for  and  obtains  guides  to  conduct  some  of  his  party  to 
Stanley  Falls,  to  speak  and  treat  in  his  behalf  with  that 
chieftain  whom  we  have  conveyed  from  Zanzibar  to 
Stanley  Falls,  with  free  rations  in  consideration  of  the 
help  he  had  solemnly  contractr^^  to  furnish. 

On  x\ugust  29,  Mr.  Ward  retuii  from  the  Falls  with 
a  reply  from  Tippu-Tib,  wherein  he  promises  that  he 
will  collect  the  cariiers  needed  and  send  them  within  ten 
days.  The  first  promise  in  June  was  "  in  nine  days  "  ; 
the  promise  is  in  August  "  in  ten  days,"     A  few  days 


MAliCIIEtiy   AND    VOLWTEH-MARVllES. 


bi?j 


later  Mr.  Jameson  returns  from  Stanley  Falls  in<'om})any 
of  Salim  ))in  Mohammed,  a  ne|)lie\v  of  'ri])pn-Til>.  and  a 
lart»e  party  of  Manyuema.  This  party  is  reported  to 
})e  the  vanguard  of  the  carrier  eontin<;ent.  which  Ti|»j)u- 
Tib  will  shortly  hrino-  in  ])erson. 

In  the  interval  of  waiting-  for  him,  howev«'r.  trouble 
])reaks  out  on  the  Lumami,  and  Tippu-Til)  is  ohlined  to 
hurry  to  the  scene  to  settle  it.  The  Yand)uya  oan-ison, 
however,  are  (hiily  expecting  his  presence. 

Unable  to  })ear  the  suspense,  the  second  vi^it  to 
Stanley  Falls  is  undertaken,  this  time  by  Major  Bartteh)t 
in  pers(m.  It  is  the  1st  of  ()(!tobei'.  Salim  bin  Mo- 
hammed accompanied  hir..,  and  also  Mr.  Troup.  On 
the  way  thither  they  met  Tij)pu-Tib  advancing'  towards 
Yambuya,  having  six  d -lerters  from  the  advance  column, 
each  bearing  a  weighty  tusk.  The  Major  graciously 
remits  the  six  ivory  tusks  to  the  Arab  chief,  and,  as 
they  must  have  a  palaver,  they  go  together  to  Stanley 
Falls. 

After  one  month  tlie  Major  returns  to  his  cam[),  on 
the  Aruwimi,  and  states  that  Tippu-Tib,  unable  to 
muster  GOO  carriers  in  the  Stanley  Falls  region,  is 
obliged  to  proceed  to  Kasongo,  about  ^^50  miles  above 
Stanley  Falls,  and  that  this  journey  of  about  700  miles 
(to  Kasongo  and  back)  will  occupy  forty-two  days. 

Meantime,  twenty  of  the  Major'^s  own  people  have 
been  buried  outside  the  camp. 

The  English  commander  learns  that  during  his  jib- 
senee,  Majato,  a  head  man  of  the  Manyuema,  has  been 
behaving  "  badly,"  tliac  he  has  been,  in  fact,  intimidating 
the  natives  who  marketed  with  the  garrison,  with  the 
view  of  starvino-  the  soldiers  and  Zanzibaris,  or  reaping 
some  gain  by  acting  as  the  middleman  or  factor  in  the 
exchange  of  goods  for  produce.  Hearing  these  things, 
the  Major  naturally  becomes  indignant,  and  forthwith 
despatches  Mr.  Ward,  who  makes  the  third  visit  to  the 
Falls  to  ('omplain  of  the  arbitrary  conduct  (  f  Majato. 
The  complaint  is  effective,  and  Majato  is  immediately 
withdrawn. 

In    the    beginning   of   1888.    Salim  bin    Mohammed 


1H88. 
Aug. 

Ijanalyit. 


VOL.    I. 


II    II 


^JV  ^ ''^"'"iTT*"  •- 


TiU 


y.V   DAltKKST  AFRICA. 


w 


li'i; 


I  i! 


■»^? 


tiliil 


\M 


til 


Mt 


■:1 

Mil 


1888. 
Aug. 

Bniiiilyu. 


urrives  at  Vaiiil)uya  for  the  second  time,  and  pi-esently 
})ef;onies  so  active  in  enforcing'  cei'tain  measures  against 
the  natives  tliat  the  food  supply  of  the  camp  is  wholly 
cut  off  and  nevei'  renewed.  lie  also  (^onnnences  the 
construction  of  a  permanent  camp  of  su})stantial  nmd- 
huilt  huls  at  half  a  how-shot's  distance  from  the  pali- 
sades of  Vamhuya,  and  com[)letely  invests  the  fort  on 
the  land  side,  as  though  he  were  preparing  for  a  siege 
of  the  place. 

After  i\  futile  effort  to  bribe  Salim  with  the  offer  of  a 
thousand  pounds  to  lead  a  Manyuema  crmtingent  to 
follow  the  track  of  the  advance  <;olumn.  Major  Barttelot 
and  Mr.  Jameson,  about  the  middle  of  February,  undei'- 
take  the  fourth  visit  to  Stanley  Falls.  Salim,  fearing 
unfavourable  accounts  of  his  behaviour,  accompanies  them 
('II.  route  •  the  party  meet  250  Manyuema,  but  as  they 
have  no  wi'itten  instructions  with  tliem,  they  are  per- 
mitted to  s(-atter  over  the  country  in  search  of  ivory. 

In  March  Salim  returns  to  Yambuya,  and  intimates 
to  the  officers  that  no  (h)ubt  the  (carriers  would  be  ulti- 
mately foi'thcoming,  not  however  for  the  purpose  of 
following  Mr,  Stanley's  track,  })ut  to  proceed  ria  Ujiji 
and  LJnyoro  ;  a  mere  haziness  of  geography  ! 

On  the  25th  of  March,  Major  Barttlelot  returns  to  the 
camp  with  information  that  Mr.  Jameson,  the  inde- 
fatigable rfameson,  has  proceeded  up  river  in  the 
track  of  'J'ippu-Tib  with  the  intention  of  reaching  Ka- 
Hongo.  He  also  announces  his  intention  of  forminii"  a 
flying  colunm,  and  leaving  the  larger  part  of  his  goods  at 
Staidey  Falls  in  charge  of  an  ofKcer  !  He  also  prepares 
a  telegram  to  the  (MHnmittee  in  London  which  is  as 
follows  : — 

"  St.  Paul  do  Loandii, 

"  l.s/  M<(ij,  18B8. 

"  No  news  of  Stanley  since  writing  last  October.  Ti])])u-Til)  went  to 
Kasongo,  Nov.  IGtli,  l)ut  up  to  March  has  only  got  us  25U  men.  More  are 
coming,  hut  uncertain  in  numher,  and  as  precaution,  presuming  Stanley 
in  trouble  (it  woi;ld)  be  absurd  in  mo  to  start  with  less  number  tlian  he 
did,  while  carrying  more  loads — minus  Maxim  gun.  Therefore  I  have 
ticnt  Jameson  to  Kasongo  to  hasten  Tippu-Tib  in  regard  to  originally 
])roi)osed  number  of  GOO  men,  and  to  obtain  as  many  fighting  men  as 
])ossiblc  up  t(j  400,   also  to  make  as  advantageous   terms  as   he  can 


,1    DESPATCH    FJi'UM    yjMJtl'VA. 


515 


11(1  proseiitly 
surcs  iiguiiist 
iiip  is  wholly 
iinieiices  the 
taiitial  luud- 
1)111  tlie  pali- 
th(3  fort  oil 
o'  for  u  .sie<>t' 

the  offer  of  a 
outiiigeiit  to 
ijor  Bartteh)t 
L'luirv,  under- 
alim,  fearing 
iipanies  them 
,  but  as  thev 
hey  are  per- 
1  of  ivory, 
nd  intimates 
rould  be  ulti- 
e  purpose  of 

eed  rin  Ujiji 

I 

eturns  to  the 
n,  the  inde- 
iver  in  the 
eaehing  Ka- 
)f  forming  a 

liis  goods  at 
also  prepares 

which   is  as 


andii, 

(  Mat/,  1888. 

)))U-Til)  w(!nt  to 
I)  1 11011.  More  are 
asuniing  Stanley 
number  than  lie 
lierofore  I  have 
I'd  to  orijiiinally 
fighting  men  as 
rnis  as   he  can 


regardinp;  scrviro,  and  )»ayment  of  men,  he  and  I  pianinteeiiig  money 
in  name  oC  Expedition,  -lameson  will  return  about  the  Mth,  but  earliest 
day  to  start  will  be  .June  1st,  when  I  iir()i)0se  leavintr  an  ollicer  with  all 
loads  not  absolutely  wanted  at  Stanley  Falls.  Ward  carries  thi' 
m(vssage;  ])lease  olitain  wire  from  the  King  of  flu;  Jielgians  to  the 
Administrator  of  the  Free  State  to  i)laee  carriers  at  his  dispo.sil,  und 
have  steamers  in  readiness  to  convey  him  to  Yand)nya.  If  men  come 
before  his  arrival  I  shall  start  without  him.  1I(>  should  return  about 
July  1st.  Wire  advice  and  opinion.  Otticeis  all  \\v,U.  Ward  awaits 
reply. 

"  IUUTTK(-OT." 

Mr,  Ward  ))roceeded  down  the  ('ong(),  and  in  an  uii- 
preeedentedly  short  time  n'ached  tiie  sea-board,  (•al)hMl 
his  despatch,  received  the  foHowing  reply,  and  started 
uy)  tlie  ( Joiigo  again  for  the  Yam])iiya  camp. 

"  iNIajor  liarttelot,  care  Ward,  Congo. 

"Committee  refer  you  to  Stanley's  orders  of  the  •24th  June,  1887.  If 
you  still  cannot  mar<;h  in  accordance  Avith  these  orders,  then  stay  where 
you  are,  awaiting  his  arrival  or  until  you  receive  fresh  instructions  from 
Stanley.  Committee  do  not  authoi'i.so  the  engagement  of  lighting  men. 
News  has  been  received  from  Emin  I'asha  ria  Zanzibar,  dated  Wadelai, 
November  2nd.  Stanley  was  not  then  heard  of:  Emin  I'asha  is  well  and 
in  no  immediate  want  of  supplic  and  goes  to  south-west  of  lake  to  watch 
for  Stanley.     Letters  have  been  posted  regnlarly  rid  East  Coast. 

"  Chairman  of  Committee." 

Mr.  Ward  on  arriving  at  Banoahi  is  detained  there  by 
order. 

The  Committee  have  made  a  sliglit  mistake  in  calUng 
my  letter  of  instructions  "  orders."  The  instructions 
are  not  exactlv  "  orders."  The\'  are  su<j;<?estions  or 
advices  tendered  ])y  the  Commander  of" the  Expedition 
to  the  Commanding  Officer  of  the  reai  cohmm,  which  he 
may  follow  or  reject  at  his  own  discretion,  .^blj()r 
Barttelot  has  ex])resse(l  an  impatient  desire  to  be  of 
active  service  to  the  Expedition.  He  declares  that  it  is 
his  dearest  wisli  to  leave  Yambiiya  to  follo'v  on  our 
track.  The  Commander  of  the  Expedition,  strongly 
sympathising  with  the  impetuous  young  officer,  writes 
out  a  series  of  suggestions  by  which  his  desire  may  1)8 
realised,  and  gives  him  further  a  pencilled  estimate  (see 
Appendix)  by  what  manner  the  forward  advance  after 
us  may  be  done.  The  Major  earnestly  promises  to  con- 
form to  these  suggestions,  and  the  parting  between  him 
and  myself  is  on  this  understanding.     But  they  arc  not 


1888. 
ISaiuilyai 


P-'I 


r)i6 


JX   h  A  UK  EST  AFIUCA. 


IHHH. 

A  UK. 

lianalva. 


lill! 


T    h 


I!       I  , 


i 

■p. 

iih 

i 

1  lusL  j 

positive  "  orders,"  as  a  niun's  epita|)li  can  ])est  be  written 
after  his  deatli,  so  tlie  measure  of  "  kudos"  to  be  given 
a  man  is  l)est  known  after  the  vahie  of  his  services  has 
])een  ascertained. 

At  the  end  of  .Marcli  tlie  ^lajor  is  on  l»ad  terms  with 
Salim  bin  Ab)lianinied.  wliicli  compels  him  to  make  a 
fifth  visit  to  Staidey  Falls  to  obtain  his  removal. 

Alxmt  the  middle  of  A})ril  Major  Uarttelot  returns  to 
]iis  camp,  and  Salini  has  orders  to  (piit  Yand»uya.  Iii- 
Htead,  however,  of  [)rocee<ling  to  Stanley  Falls,  he  pro- 
])()ses  a  raid  upon  a  large  village  below  Yandaiya,  but 
in  a  few  davs  he  reappears,  stating  that  lie  has  heard  a 
rumoui'  that  the  advance  column  is  descending  the 
upper  waters  of  the  Aruwimi. 

On  the  i)th  of  JVIay,  1888,  the  Major  ]m)ceeds  to 
make  a  sixth  visit  to  Stanley  Falls,  and  on  the  22nd  of 
the  month  makes  his  reappearance  with  the  indefatigable 
Jameson  and  a  large  party  of  Manynema.  1'hree  days 
later  the  ])r()crastinating  Tippu-Tib,  who,  on  the  18th  of 
June,  1887,  said  that  he  would  be  at  Yand)uya  within 
nine  days,  and  in  August  within  ten  days,  arrives  by 
steamer  A.  [.A.  The  Stanlc)/  also  steams  up  to  deliver 
letters  for  the  expedition. 

As  Tip])u-Tib  suggested  that  the  loads  GOlbs.  weight 
were  too  hetivy  for  his  people,  the  officers  were  obliged 
to  reduce  them  to  40,  ;^0,  and  20lb.  weights,  to  suit  his 
views.  This  was  no  light  task,  but  it  had  to  be  per- 
formed. As  an  advance  payment,  Mr.  Bonny  relates 
that  forty-seven  ])ales  of  cloth,  a  vast  store  of  powder 
and  fixed  ammunition  are  delivered,  and  £128  worth  of 
stores  are  given  to  Muini  Sumai,  the  head  man  of  the 
Manyuema  battalion.  The  European  provisions  are  then 
overhauled,  and  such  articles  as  ^ladeira  wine,  jams, 
sago,  tapioca,  arrowroot,  sardines,  herrings,  and  wheat 
flour  are  boxed  up,  and  with  eiolit  boxes  of  mv  baiio-aoe  • 
are  shipped  on  board  the  steamer  for  Bangala  as  un- 
necessary and  superfluous,  in  the  same  vessel  on  which 
Mr.  Troup  is  an  invalid  passenger  bound  li(»me. 

Finally,  on  the    lltli  of  rhuie,   1888,  after   weeding 
out  twenty-nine  Zanzibaris  and  four  Soudanese  who  are 


TWllLVK   I/CXI)/,'K/>    MILES   OF  iVAlt<'//L\G. 


oi; 


too    fecltlc    to    work.    Messrs.    Hiutt«'Iot,  Janu'son,    and      ihmh. 
Hoiniy  leave  the  eaiiij)  thev  should    have    left   not   later      ^"'''• 
than  \ho   25th   of   August,    1S«7,   with   a   following-  of  ''^""''>»- 
Zuiizi'.huis,   Soudanese.  Sonialis,  iuid   Manyiienia.  a,H',i^n-e- 
gatiii<i'  nearly  l)(i()   men,  women,  and  children,  with  the 
intention  of  ma  kin;;'  that  "'strenuous  (|uest"  for  the  lost 
Commander  and  to  relieve  Km  in  I'aslia. 

These  six  visits  to  Stanley  Falls  which  tlie  Major  and 
his  friends  have  made  amount  in  the  a,u;nre^ate  to  I  L'OO 
En,iilisli  miles  of  marcliiiii"'.  The  untirin,^  Major  has 
personally  ti'avelled  S()()  miles,  while  .lameson  has  per- 
formeil  I'JOO  miles.  If  only  these  I  ".iOO  miles  had  Keen 
travelle(l  hetween  Yam!»uya  and  the  Alhert,  the  rear 
<-olumn  would  have  rea<'lied  Pan*";!  Falls.  Even  l»y 
travelling'  sixty  miles,  to  uain  a  direct  advance  of  ten 
miles,  they  w.)uld  have  Iteen  cheered  and  encouraoed  hy 
our  letters  and  charts  to  press  on  to  Avejeli  to  recuj)e- 
rate  amon*"'  the  abundant  plantains  of  that  rich  and 
populous  settlement. 

liut  while  the  Major  and  his  otHcers  were  endeavour- 
iiio-  to  stimulate  an  unwillin<>'  man  to  pei-form  his  con- 
tract with  forty-five  guinea  rifles.  Remington  riHes, 
ivory-handled  revolvers  and  annnunition,  with  many  a 
fair  hale  of  cloth,  their  own  faithful  men  were  dying  at 
a  frii'htful  rate.  Out  of  the  original  roll  of  271,  then; 
are  only  i'A'I  left  of  rank  and  file,  and  out  of  these  1  :^2 
by  the  time  thev  have  ai-rived  at  Banalva  there  areonlv 
101  remaining,  and  nearly  a  half  of  these  are  so  wasted 
l<y  famine  and  disease  that  there  is  no  hope  of  life  in 
them. 

Thirteen  days  after  Hie  departure  of  the  lioi'de  of 
Manyuema  and  the  anaemic,  Zanziharis  from  the  fatal 
camp  of  Yamhuya,  the  Major  undertakes  a  seventh  visit 
to  Stanley  Falls,  and  leaves  the  eolunm  to  struggle  on 
its  way  to  Banalya  without  him.  On  the  foitv-third 
day  of  the  march  of  ninety  miles  the  van  of  the  I'car 
column  enters  the  palisaded  village  of  Banalya,  which 
has  become  in  my  absence  a  station  of  Tip[)u-Til)'s  in 
charge  of  an  Arab  called  Abdallah  Ivaroni,  and  on  the 
same  day  the  restless  and  enter^jrising  ^lajor  enters  it 


'/#cjs 


alS 


JN  DA  UK  EST  AFIiTCA. 


Uii 


III 


m 


■mt  I  111 


m  v 


1888.     on  his  ]-etiini   fVoin   Staiilcv    Falls.      On    the   next   day 

Aug.      some   misunderstanding*'   takes   place   hetvveen   him   and 

Banaiya.   ^j^^  ^,|jj^^-  ^Yi^i.^n.^j^  Karoni.      Tlic  iMajoi"  storms  at  hiin. 

and  threatens  to  start  to  Stanley  Falls  for  the  eighth 
visit  on  the  20th  of  July  to  complain  of  his  conduct 
to  Tippu-Til)  ;  hut  at  dawn  on  the  IDth  of  .luly  the 
unfortunate  connnander  is  shot  through  the  heart  hy 
the  assassin  Sanua. 

1  will  permit  Mr.  William   Bonny's  ofticial  report  to 
detail  what  occurreil  in  a  i-evised  form. 

"  18///  Jul  11,  1888.— Tlic  Major  coiitiiiued  to  threaten  Abdalla  that  if  he 
did  not  ^et  tlie  carriirs  i)roiuis<'(l  by  Tippii-Tih  ho  wouhl  return  toStanloy 
Falls  on  the  2()th,  .hkI  lie  ordered  the  Arab  to  accompany  him.  Tht! 
Major  informed  nie  he  wonhl  be  back  on  the  '.(th  of  Aufiu.st,  but  before 
concluding  his  remarks,  he  ask(ul  me,  '  Don't  you  think  1  am  iloinu'  the 
correct  thiufj;  by  uoinjz;  to  Stanley  Falls?  "  1  answered,  '  No,  I  (hm't  sec 
why  you  want  sixty  more  men  ;  you  have  men  enou<j;h  an(i  to  spare ! 
You  had  better  issue  tlie  rilles  and  annnunition  to  tlie  men,  and  that 
will  reduce  the  number  of  our  burdens  by  fifteen,  and  trust  the  men. 
Mr.  Stanley  is  oblij^ed  to  tru.st  the  men.  If  they  run  away  fnmi  yon,  they 
run  away  from  him,  but  if  you  li-avo  them  in  my  hands  I  doirt  think 
they  will  run.'  The  Major  .said,  '  T  intend  that  you  shall  have  command 
of  the  Zanzibaris  and  Soudanes<^  from  here,  and  you  shall  precede  the 
Manyuema  a  day's  march.  ]\Ir.  Jameson  and  1  will  march  with  the 
jManyuema  and  get  them  into  .some  order,  and  see  they  do  not  mix  nj) 
with  your  ])eople.  I  don't  want  to  go  to  tlu^  I'alls,  but  1  want  you  to  try 
to  get  sonu!  tew  men.  if  you  only  get  me  twenty  I  shall  bo  sati.stied. 
I  asked  Abdallah  if  he  could  let  me  have  a  few  carriers.  I  obtained 
seven.' 

"  It)///  ,7/f///. — Early  this  morning  a  Manyuema  woman  commenced 
beating  a  drum  and  singing.  It  is  their  daily  custom.  The  iMajor  sent 
liis  boy  Soudi,  who  was  only  about  thirteen  years  old,  to  stoj)  them,  but 
at  oniH!  loud  and  angry  voices  w(>re  heard,  followed  by  two  shots  by  way 
of  d(;lianco.  The  Major  ordereil  some  Soudanese!  to  go  and  find  the  men 
who  were  tiring,  at  the  .same  time  getting  \\\)  from  bed  himself  and 
taking  his  revolvers  from  the  case.  i\v,  >iaid,  '  I  will  shoot  the  tirst  man 
I  catch  liring.'  1  told  him  not  lo  interfere  witli  tlie  jjcojiIc's  daily 
custom,  to  remain  inside,  and  not  go  out,  inasnnicli  as  they  would  soon 
be  f|uiet.  lie  went  out  revolver  in  hand  to  where  the  Soudanese  were. 
They  told  liim  that  they  could  not  lind  the  m"n  who  were  (iring.  Thi! 
Major  then  pusluMl  aside!  ;;oiiu!  Manynenia,  an<l  passed  through  tiieni  t(»- 
wards  the  woman  wiio  was  beating  the  drum  and  singing,  and  ordered 
her  to  desist.  Just  then  a  shot  was  tired  tlirotigh  a  loophole,  in  an 
opi)osite  hut  from  within,  by  Sanga,  tin*  woman's  Iius1>and.  The  charge 
pemt^trated  just  below  the  region  of  the  heart  and  pass(>d  out  iiehiiKJ. 
lodging  tinally  in  a  part  of  the  verandah  under  which  the  Major  fell  dead. 

'  The  Soudanese!  ran  away,  and  refused  to  follow  uk!  to  get  the  Major's 
body;  but  I  went,  and  was  tbilowecl  by  one  Somali,  an<l  one  Soudanese, 
who  with  niy.self  i-arried  the  body  to  my  house.  From  the  screaming  I 
thought  a  general  ma.ssacr(!  had  commenc(;d,  for  i  had  not  seen  a  siiigli' 
Zan/.ibari.  Tiiey  were  either  hiding  within  their  hon.ses  or  joining  in  the 
general  stampede  that  followed.     I  now  tiu'iied  and  saw  one  of  the  head- 


Mj{.  HON.wy's  fih'poirr. 


>1!> 


men  of  the  Manynciua,  who  with  riflo  and  revolver  in  hand  was  leadinp  a 
body  of  sixty  of  his  people  to  attack  nie.  T  had  no  arms.  I  walk(>il  up 
to  him  and  asked  him  if  he  was  leadinj;-  his  men  to  tifj;ht  me.  lie  rei)lied 
'  No.'  1  said, '  Then  take  your  men  quietly  to  their  houses  and  hriu^  all 
the  headmen  t(»  me,  for  I  wish  to  s])eak  to  them.'  Some  headmen  sliortly 
afterwards  made  their  a])pearii,n('e,  and  I  said  to  them,  '  The  tronliN;  is 
not  mine,  but  Tippu-Tib's.  1  want  yon  to  brin^^  me  all  the  loads,  and  tell 
all  your  fellows  to  do  the  same.  Ti))pn-Tib  knows  what  each  of  you  has  in 
charge  and  is  responsible  for  them.  This  is  Tippu-Tib's  trouble.  Tippu- 
Tib  will  have  to  pay  up  if  the  goods  are  lost,  and  will  ])unisli  the  head- 
man who  causes  him  a  loss.  1  shall  write  to  him,  and  he  will  come  hen;, 
and  he  shall  know  the  name  of  him  who  refuses  to  do  what  I  now  wish.' 
This  U!snlted  in  my  getting  back  to  the  storeroom  about  150  loads.  I 
now  sent  my  men  to  collect  what  goods  they  could,  and  befon;  long  I 
recoveriid  2!)i)  porter  loads.  They  had  been  scattered  all  over  the  place, 
some  in  the  forest,  in  the  rice  field,  and  in  the  village  huts  iiidden  away 
witliin  and  without,  in  tact  everywhere.  Some  of  the  bead  sacks  and 
ammunition  boxes  had  already  been  ii))i)'d  or  broken  open,  and  tlie 
whole  of  their  contents,  or  in  ])art,  gone.  After  counting  up  I  foujid  \ 
was  forty-eight  loads  short.  The  inliabitunts  of  the  village  numlxircd 
about  200  or  300  ])eo))le.  F  had  arrived  with  about  10(i  uwn  ;  Muni 
Siimai,  the  chief  headman  of  the  i\Ianyu('n)a,  with  lliO  carrieis  and 
about  '200  followers,  making  a  total  of  about  1000  ])eople,  of  wiiom  i)0() 
were  caimibals,  all  confined  within  an  area  K'O  yards  by  25  yurds.  You 
can  therefore  better  judge  than  I  can  describi!  the  scene  when  the  general 
stam[)ede  connnenced,  tin;  screaming,  firing,  shouting,  looting  our  stores, 
&c.,  &c.  I  regret  to  say  that  the  .Soudanes((  and  Zanzibaris  without 
exception  joined  in  the  looting,  but  in  my  turn  I  raided  their  houses  and 
haunts  and  captured  a  quantity  of  cloth,  beads,  rice,  (Scr.  1  had  to 
punish  NevenOy  before  T  snccee(i(Ml  in  stopping  it.  I  now  wrote  to  Mr. 
Jameson,  who  was  about  four  days  otf  bringing  up  the  remaining  loads. 
I  also  wrote  to  Mons.  Baert,  a  Congo  State  oificer.  and  secretary  to  Tippn- 
Til)  at  Stanley  Falls,  explainijig  what  had  takiJii  placi^  how  I  was 
situated,  and  asking  him  to  use  all  his  tact  with  Tip]»u-Til)  to  get  him  to 
come  luire  or  send  some  chief  to  re])lace  Muini  Sumai,  who  had  lieen  one 
of  the  first  to  abscond.  I  told  Mons.  Baert  to  tell  Tii)i)U-Til)  that  all 
Europe  would  bliuni!  him  if  he  did  not  assist  us.  I  tlien  buried  the 
Major,  after  sewing  tlie  body  up  in  a  blanket.  I  dug  a  grave  just  within 
the  forest,  ])lacing  leaves  as  a  cushion  at  the  bottom  of  the  grave,  and 
covered  the  body  with  tlu!  same.  I  then  read  the  church  service;  from  our 
Prayer-Book  over  the  Iiody,  and  this  l)rought  tlu!  terril)le  day  to  a  close. 

"  Tlie  ]\rajor  wrote  and  handed  nu!  tlieotficial  order  appointing  m(Mn 
command  of  the  Zanzibar!  and  Soudanese  when  tlu^  camp  at  Yambuya 
was  in  great  danger,  and  his  own  life  es]iecially.  I  therefore  tak»i  com- 
mand of  this  Si'cond  Column  of  the  Kmin  Tasha  Relief  Hxpedition  until 
1  see;  Mr.  Stanley  or  return  to  tlii'  coast. 

"  It  shall  lie  my  constant  care  under  (ind's  hel]i  to  make  it  more 
succ(!ssfnl  than  hert^tofon;.  IMr.  Jameson  will  occu))y  the  same  position 
as  shown  in  Mr.  Stanley's  instructions  to  ]\Iajoi-  iSnrttelot  on  his  going  to 
Stanley  Falls  to  siitth;  with  Tippn-Tib  for  another  headman  of  the 
Manynema  lie  has  free!  hands,  believing  himself  to  be  in  command.  I 
did  not  undeceive;  him.  On  his  re-turn  here  I  will  she)w  him  the  elocu- 
mcnt,  a  copy  of  which  F  have  given  above'. 

"  I  have  tlie  honour  to  lie,  Sir, 
"etc.,  ete'., 

"To  ir.  i\r.  Stanle-y,  Ksep,  "  Wim.iam  iJn.NNY. 

"  Cemimauder  E.lMi.E." 


ISSH. 
Alii;. 

li.iiialvi. 


Ilf"*-'f 


520 


IN  DARKEST  AFlilCA. 


1888. 
Auir. 

Banal  va. 


H 


I  1 1 


Tliree  days  after  the  tragedy  Mr.  Jameson  appears  at 
Baiialya  with  the  rear  guard  of  the  rear  column,  and 
assumes  command ;  l>ut  on  the  25th  of  July,  after 
leaving  wor<ls  of  encouragement  to  Mr.  Bonny,  he 
undertakes  tl^e  eighth  visit  to  Stanley  F'alls  in  the  hope 
that  by  making  liheral  offers  of  gold  to  satisfy  the  avari- 
cious Tippu-Til)  he  may  induce  him  either  to  head  the 
Rear  (Column  himself,  or  send  one  of  his  fiery  nephews 
in  iiis  place— Salim  l)in  Mohammed,  or  Rashid,  who 
assaulted  and  captured  Stanley  Falls  from  Captain 
Deanc. 

Oil  August  12th  he  writes  his  last  letter  (see  Appen- 
dix) to  Mr.  Bonny,  and  begins  it,  "The  Expedition  is  at 
a  very  low  ehh  at  present,  as  1  think  you  will  acknow- 
ledge."    This  is  a  sad  fact  very  patent  to  everybody. 

After  seeing  the  act  of  justice  performed  on  the 
wretclie<l  assassin  San^a,  and  witnessins*-  the  shootiim'  of 
him  and  the  body  tossed  into  the  Congo,  he  departs  from 
Stanley  Falls  for  Bangala.  For  Mr.  Jameson  and  Major 
Barttelot  were  both  concerned  in  the  detention  of  Ward 
for  some  reiison  at  Banuala,  and  therefore  the  answer  of 
the  (^)mmittee  to  their  cablegram  of  the  1st  of  May  was 
in  his  possession.  Mr.  Jameson  is  anxious  to  know  what 
its  tenoi'  is  before  a  final  movement,  and  he  departs  in 
a  canoe  with  ten  Zanzibaris.  Night  and  day  they  float, 
and  when  o])])osite  the  Lumami  he  is  attacked  with  fever. 
Ilis  constitution  is  o[)en  to  its  virulence,  filled  as  his 
mind  is  with  despondency,  for  the  fortunes  of  the  Expe- 
dition are — despite  every  strenuous  endeavour  on  his  j)art, 
his  whole-hearted  devotion,  his  marches  and  counter- 
marches, his  tramp  of  1400  miles  (1200  miles  befoi-e 
leaving  Vambuya,  thence  to  Banalya,  and  then  to 
Staidcy  Falls),  his  sacrifice  of  money,  physical  comforts, 
and  the  ])ouring  out  of  his  soul  to  effect  what  he  thiid<s 
ought  to  be  done — but  alas  !  '*  at  their  lowest  ebb."  And 
the  fever  mounts  to  his  brain.  P)V  dav  and  niu'ht  the 
canoe-men  ])ress  on  to  the  goal  of  l*)angala  Station,  and 
ai'rivc  in  time  t(»  put  him  in  the  arms  of  Mi-.  Ward, 
where  he  breathes  his  last,  as  the  advance  <'olumn,  re- 
turning after   its   iiishmu'  and    swin<»inu'    face  through 


A   DREADFUL   PEST-HOLD. 


r)21 


f(/rest  and   ])y   river   from    tlie    Al])ert    Nyanza,    enter     1888. 
Banalya  to  demand  "  Where  is  Jameson  ?  "  -^"S- 

Twenty-eiglit  days  after  the  tragic  death  of  ^Fajor  '^'^"'^'y'^ 
Barttelot,  and  twen.'y-three  days  after  the  departure  of 
Jameson,  the  advance  column  returning  from  the  All)ert 
Nyanza,  much  reduced  in  numhei's,  and  so  tattered  in 
tlieir  clothing  that  they  were  taken  for  pagans  picked 
up  by  the  way  and  their  ohl  ('omrades  failed  to  recognise 
them,  appeared  at  Banalya  to  learn  for  the  first  time  the 
distressful  story  of  the  rear  column. 

The  life  of  misery  which  was  I'clated  was  increased 
by  the  misery  which  we  saw.  Pen  cannot  i)icture  nor 
tono;ue  relate  the  full  horrors  witnessed  within  that 
dreadful  pest-hold.  The  nameless  scourge  of  barbarians 
was  visible  in  the  faces  and  bodies  of  many  a  hideous- 
hjoking  human  being,  who,  disiigured,  IJoated,  marred 
and  scarred,  came,  impelled  by  curiosity,  to  hear  and 
see  us  wdio  had  come  frcnn  the  forest  land  east,  and  who 
were  reckless  of  the  terror  they  insjnred  by  the  death 
embodied  in  them.  There  were  six  dead  bodies  lying 
unburied,  and  the  smitten  living  with  their  festers 
lounged  in  fnmt  of  us  bv  the  dozen.  Others  woin  to 
thin  skin  and  staring  l)one  from  dysentery  and  fell 
an{i3mia,  and  ulcers  as  large  as  saucers,  crawled  about 
and  hollowly  sounded  their  dismal  welcome — a  welcome 
to  this  charnel  yard !  Weak,  wearied,  an<l  jaded  in 
body  and  mind,  1  scarcely  know  how  1  endured  the  first 
few  hours,  the  ceaseless  story  of  calamity  vexed  my  eai's, 
a  deadly  stench  of  disease  hung  in  the  air.  and  the  most 
repellent  sights  hu)ved  and  surged  bcfoi'c  my  daze<l 
eyes.  I  heard  of  murder  and  death,  of  sickness  and 
sorrow,  auij^uish  and  urief,  and  wherever  I  lookc<l  the 
hollow  eyes  of  dying  men  met  my  own  with  sucii  trust- 
ing, pleading  regard,  such  far-away  yearning  looks,  that 
it  seemed  to  me  if  but  one  sob  was  uttered  my  heart 
would  break.  1  sat  stupefiecl  under  a  suffocating  sense 
of  despondencv,  yet  the  haii'owiiig  story  moved  on  in 
a  dismal  cadence  that  had  nought  else  in  it  but  death 
and  disaster,  disaster  and  death.  A  hundre(l  graves  at 
Vambuya — thirty-three  men  perishing  abandoned  in  the 


m 


ill  .;!■ 


Pi  III  -: 


Itt 


1888. 
Aug. 

BaDaly<i. 


m ! 


t. 

t   ! 

II 


622 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


camp,  ten  dead  on  the  road,  about  forty  in  the  village 
about  to  yield  their  feeble  hold  of  life,  desertions  over 
twenty,  rescued  a  passable  sixty  !  And  of  the  gallant 
band  of  Englishmen  ?  "  Barttelot's  grave  is  but  a  few 
yards  off,  Troup  went  home  a  skeleton.  Ward  is  some- 
where a  wanderer,  Jameson  has  gone  to  the  Falls,  I  don't 
know  why."  '"  And  you — you  are  the  only  one  left?" 
"  The  only  one,  sir." 

If  I  were  to  record  all  that  I  saw  at  Banalya  in  its 
deep  intensity  of  unqualified  misery,  it  would  be  like 
stripping  the  bandages  off  a  vast  sloughing  ulcer, 
striated  with  bleeding  arteries,  to  the  public  gaze,  with 
no  earthly  purpose  than  to  shock  and  disgust. 

Implicitly  believing  as  we  did  in  the  elan  of  Barttelot, 
in  the  fidelity  of  Jameson,  in  the  vigorous  youth  and 
manly  promise  of  Ward,  in  the  prudence  and  trustworthi- 
ness of  Troup,  and  the  self-command  and  steadiness  of 
Bonny,  all  these  revelations  came  to  me  with  a  severe 
shock.  The  column  was  so  (complete  with  every  requisite 
for  prolonged  and  useful  work,  but  the  "  Hood-tide  of 
opportunity "  flowed  before  them  unseen  and  unnoted, 
therefore  their  marches  became  mere  "  markino-  time." 

What,  Barttelot !  that  tireless  man  with  the  ever- 
I'ushing  pace,  that  cheery  young  soldiei',  with  his  daunt- 
less bearini>',  whose  soul  was  ever  yearnino-  for  o;lorv.  A 
man  so  lavishl}'  eijuipped  with  Nature's  advantages  to 
bow  the  knee  thus  to  the  grey  craftiness  at  Stanley 
Falls  !  It  was  all  an  unsolved  riddle  to  me.  I  would 
have  watered  he  would  have  seized  that  flowing'  lirev 
beard  of  Tippu-Tib  and  pounded  the  face  to  pulp,  even 
i:i  the  midst  of  his  power,  rather  than  allow  himself 
to  be  thus  cajoled  time  and  time  again.  The  fervid 
vehemence  of  his  ])r()mise  not  to  wait  a  (hiy  after  the 
fixed  date  yet  rings  in  my  ears  ;  I  feel  the  strong  grip. 
and  see  the  resolute  face,  and  I  remember  my  glowing 
confidence  in  liim. 

It  is  said  that  "  Still  waters  run  deep."  Now  Jameson 
was  sucli  a  still,  and  patient,  and  withal  determined  man 
that  we  all  conceded  a  certain  greatness  to  him.  He 
Jiad  paid  £  1 000  sterling,  and  had  prcmiised  diligence  and 


\m 


THE  SAD    DEATH  OF  JAMESON. 


523 


zealous  service,  for  the  })i'ivile<ie  of  l)eing  enrolled  as  a      irmk. 


member  of  the  Expedition,  lie  had  a  passion  for 
natural  liistory  to  gratify,  with  a  maiked  partiality  for 
ornithology  and  entomology.  According  to  Hartt(>lot, 
"  his  alacrity,  capacity,  and  willingness  to  woil<  were 
unbounded,"  which  I  un({ualitiedly  endorse.  What  else 
he  was  may  })e  best  learned  in  his  letter  of  August  12, 
and  his  entries  in  the  log  book.  Zeal  and  activity  grow 
into  prcmiise  and  relief  as  we  read,  he  seals  his  devo- 
tion by  oti'ering  out  of  his  purse    £'10,000.  and  by  that 


il 


bv  (h 


d   b 


unnappy  canoe  voyage   ny  day  and   oy  ni 
was  lifted  to  his  bed  to  die  at  I)ani'ala. 


dit, 


until 


lie 


Granted  that  Tippu-Tib    was    kind    to   these    youn< 


gen 
and 


tlemen 

)ine( 


urmj 


ii'  their  frequent  visits  to  Stanley  V'a\ 


1  and  feasted   them  on  the  best,  and   that 


he  sent  them  back  to  Yambuya  with  loads  of  rice  and 
Hocks  of  goats,  which  is  admitted.  I^ut  his  natural 
love  of  power,  his  ignorance  of  geogra[)hy.  his  barbarous 
conceit,  his  growing  indolence,  and  his  (|uickene<l  avarice 
proved  insuperable  obstacles  to  the  realizing  of  l^arttelot 
and  Jameson's  wishes,  and  were  as  fatally  ojtposite  to 
their  interests  and  dearest  desires  as  open  wai'  would 
have  been.  The  wonder  to  me  is  that  the  otKcers  never 
seem  to  lie  conscious  that  their  visits  and  rich  gifts  to 
him  are  utterly  profitless,  and  that  the  object  they  have 
at  heart,  their  inherited  ([ualities,  their  education,  habits, 
and  natures  forbid  any  further  re[)etition  of  them,  h'or 
some  mysterious  reason  they  pin  their  faith  with  the 
utmost  tenacity  to  Tippu-Tib.  an<l  to  his  ])roinises  of 
"  nine  (hiys,"  then  "  ten  days,"  then  "  forty-two  days," 
&c.,  &c.,  all  of  which  are  made  only  to  be  broken. 

But  the  most  icy  heart  may  well  be  niclte(l  with  com- 
passion for  these  young  men  so  prematurely  cut  off — 
and  so  near  rescue  after  all.  They  bravTly  attempt  to 
free  their  clouded  minds  aii<l  to  judge  clearly  in  which 
course  lies  their  duty.  At  their  mess-table  they  sit 
discussinn-  what  oui>lit  to  be  done.  Mind  gravitates  to 
mind,  and  ignites  a  spark  of  the  right  sort ;  it  is  uttered, 
but  some  one  or  something  (pienches  the  spark  as 
soon  as  it  flashes,  and  the  goodly  purpose  goes  astray 


Aim. 
l-i;malva. 


V.ir^     -  :-.--— ~,i 


524 


IN  DARKEST  AFBICA. 


isss. 

•A  UK- 
Ban  ilva. 


\WSM' 


Tliey  propose  a  iiuiiil)er  of  schemes  wide  apart  from  the 
simple  suii'o'estions  tliat  I  liave  furnished  them  with,  and 
each  project  as  soon  as  it  is  ])orn  is  frustrated  by  some 
untoward  event  soon  after.  Thougli  they  all  are  un- 
(h)ul)tedly  animated  l»y  the  purest  motives,  and  remain 
to  the  end  uncjuestionably  h)yal — throughout  every  act 
they  are  doing  themsehes  irreparable  injury,  and  un- 
consciously weighing  their  friends  of  the  advance  column 
down  to  tlie  verge  of  des])air  with  anxieties. 

The  following  is  Mr.  Ilerbei't  Ward's  report,  which  in 
justice  1  feel  bound  to  publish  : — 

"Windsor  Hotel, 
"  New  York  City. 

"  Feb.  im,  1890. 

"  Oh  August  lith,  1887,  Troup,  Bonny,  and  myself,  with  the  men  and 
loads,  arrived  at  Yambuya  from  Bolobo.  We  found  that  since  your 
(U'parture  on  June  28tli,  1887,  notiiing  had  Leen  heard  of  Tippu-Tib,  and 
that  the  Major  and  Jameson  had  occupied  their  time  in  olitaining  fire- 
wood for  the  steamer.  On  the  following  afternoon  after  our  arrival,  a 
band  of  Manyuema  attaelced  the  temporary  village  that  the  Chief  Xgunga 
had  l)uilt  on  the  op])osite  side  of  the  river,  just  l)elo\v  the  ra])ids.  Bonny 
and  1  crossed  in  a  canoe  to  discover  who  they  were,  but  apparently  as 
soon  as  they  saw  the  steamer  lying  alongside  our  cam]),  they  cleared  otT 
into  the  forest,  and  returned  to  their  own  camp,  which  the  natives  told 
us  was  but  a  few  lujurs'  journey  up  the  river.  The  ne.xt  day  the  head  man 
of  the  Manyuemas,  named  Al)dallah,came  to  us  with  a  few  followers,  and 
gave  an  account  of  how  Tip])u-Tib,  true  to  his  word,  had  sent  about 
oOO  men  to  (is  in  canoes  under  Salim  bin  Mohanuned,  but  that  they  had 
encountered  nuich  hostility  from  the  natives,  and  after  i)addling  against 
the  stream  for  several  days,  and  finding  no  indication  of  our  camp  they 
disbanded,  and  Salim  sent  small  bands  of  jNIanyuemas  in  different  direc- 
tions to  try  and  discover  our  whereabouts,  and  Abdallah  represented 
liiniself  as  being  tlie  head-man  of  one  of  the  ))arties  sent  in  search  of  our 
cf,mp.  Another  version  of  the  story  to  account  for  the  oOO  men  dis- 
biMiding  when  on  their  way  up  the  Aruwimi,  was  that  their  ammunition 
h".  I  given  out,  and  tiie  natives  ])roved  too  strong  for  them  Abdallah 
stated  that  'ripi)U-Tib  was  (piite  willing  to  sup])ly  the  men,  and  that  as 
Stanley  Falls  wa><  only  a  few  days' journey,  we  could  easily  go  ourselves 
and  see  Tippn-Tib,  and  that  he  himself  would  bo  ready  the  next  day  to 
acciMiipanv  us  and  act  as  guide. 

"  The  Major  instructed  Jameson  and  myself  to  proceed  to  the  Falls.  We 
were  there  told  the  same  story  again,  of  how  Tippu-Tib  had  sent  a  large 
number  of  uumi  to  us.  I>ut  that"  they  had  disbanded  on  the  Aruwimi  River 
on  account  of  their  l)eing  unable  to  ])ass  some  populous  village,  where  the 
natives  had  attackeil  and  driven  them  back,  as  they  were  short  of  gun- 
powder. Ti])pn  Till  ])rofessed  liis  willingness  to  supply  the  men,  but 
said  that  it  would  reiiuire  some  time  to  collect  them  together  again. 

"  As  there  were  u])wards  of  (j(l()  viilualile  loads  stored  in  Yambuya  Cam]), 
and  only  a  sufficient  number  of  able-bodieil  men  to  carry  175,  we  all  con- 
si(k>red  it  better  to  guard  the  loads  in  the  cam])  where  there  was  abund- 
anc(>  of  food  for  the  men.  until  tlie  arrival  of  Ti])]>u-Til)'s  promised  aid 
than  to  discard  a  portion  of  the  loads  and  to  make  triple  marches;  for  we 


Mil   IIEBBERT    WAIiD'S   ItEPOIlT. 


525 


were  all  convinced  from  evidence  wo  had  of  men  oven  deserting  from  tlie 
camp,  that  after  the  iirst  few  days'  marching  most  of  our  men  would 
desert  and  joui  tlie  Arab  hand  of  Waswahili  and  Manyuema  raiders,  wlio, 
we  found,  were  tiiiversing  the  country  in  all  directions,  and  wliose  free, 
unrestrained  manner  of  liviiifx  rendered  our  men  dissatisfied  with  their 
lot,  and  tempted  tliem  to  desert  us  and  accompany  their  compatriots. 
The  Major,  our  chief,  perscmally  disliked  tiio  Zanziharis,  and  lacked  the 
]>roper  influence  over  them. 

"  Ti])pu-Tih  continued  to  procrastinate,  and  in  the  moantimi' a  lar^e 
number  of  our  Zanziharis,  many  of  whom,  liowever,  from  the  first  were 
orjjianically  diseased  and  poorly,  sickened  and  dieil.  They  were  always 
employed,  and  the  cause  of  their  death  cannot  be  attributed  to  inaction. 
Beiufj;  fatalists,  they  resi^'ued  themselves  without  an  effort,  for  the 
Jiwana  Maknhvni,  with  their  comrades,  had  p)ne  into  the  chirk  forests, 
and  they  all  verily  lielieved  had  perished.  Tiiey  themselves,  when  they 
fimnd  that  U]ion  no  consideration  would  there  ever  be  a  chance  of 
returning  to  their  own  country  except  by  the  deadly  fore.st  route,  looked 
upon  the  situation  as  liopeless,  gave  way,  and  died. 

"  We  expected  you  to  return  to  Yambuya  about  the  end  of  November; 
but  time  ])assed  away  and  we  received  no  news  from  you.  We  were 
unable  to  make  triple  marches  owing  to  the  sad  condition  of  our  jn'ople. 
Every  means  was  tried  to  urge  Tippu-Tib  to  jiroduce  the  men,  but 
without  avaih 

"  In  Fel)ruary,  1888,  the  j\hijor  and  Jameson  went  again  to  the  Falls, 
and  on  the  2-±tli  March  the  Major  returned  to  Yambuya.  He  stated  that 
he  had  guaranteed  the  payment  of  a  large  sum  of  money  to  Tijjpu-Tib  if 
he  would  produce  the  men,  that  Jamestm  had  gone  to  Kasongo  to  hurry 
tliem  up,  and  that  he  considered  tliat  the  Connnittee  should  bi;  informed 
of  the  state  of  af!txirs;  firstly,  that  no  news  whatever  '  I  bei'U  niceived 
from  you  since  your  departure,  nine  months  hefoi^:;  secondly,  that 
Tippu-Tib's  aid  was  not  forthco;  ing,  that  we  were  still  in  Yambuya 
unable  to  march.  No  steamers  hat.  visited  the  camp  since  the  arrival  of 
the  last  contingent. 

"  It  appeared  to  us  that  evidently  circumstances  had  prevented  you 
from  connnunicating  with  us  after  your  de])arture,  and  that  news  about 
your  movements  might  liave  readied  tlie  east  oast. 

"As  it  appeared  possible  to  reach  Loanda  and  communicate  by  cable 
with  the  ('onunittee  antl  return  to  Yambuya  by  the  time  .lameson  was 
expected  from  Kasongo,  the  Major  instructed  me  to  ccmvey  and  despatch 
a  cablegram  which  he  lumself  worded  and  signed.  I  accom])lished  the 
journey  in  thirty  days,  antl  inmudiately  upon  receiving  their  reply  (tlic; 
clause  "  we  refer  you  to  Mr.  Stanley's  instructicms  of  June  '24fh,"  was 
precisely  what  l»oth  Troup  and  I  expected  iiefore  my  departure),  I 
luustened  back  as  far  as  Bangala,  where  I  was  instructed  to  remain  by 
the  Major  until  I  received  fnrtlier  news  from  the  Connnittee,  to  whom  he 
liad  written,  that  he  had  no  further  use  for  my  services  or  the  loads  lie 
had  sent  down  in  /.«  Stanhy. 

"Five  weeks  after  my  arrival  at  Bangala.  news  came  (h)wn  ])y  the 
Eh  Kvant  that  the  Major  had  been  assassinated.  Janu.'soii,  who  was 
at  tlie  Falls  seeing  to  the  punishment  of  the  murderer  and  reorganisation 
of  the  Manyiiema  contingent,  wrote;  ami  urgetl  me  to  stay  at  JJangala. 
Having  descended  from  the  Falls  in  canoes,  he  was  in  the  last  stage  of 
bilious  fever.  Despite  every  care  and  attention,  he  died  \\\v  following 
day.  He  came  down  to  Bangala  fo  learn  fhe  Connnittee's  reply  to  the 
Major's  cable,  and  to  take  back  the  Bangala  loads  and  myself  in  th(! 
steamer  that  the  State  officer  at  the  Falls  had  assured  him  would  1)0  at 
Bangala  on  its  way  up  to  the  Falls  just  about  the  time  he  would  arrive. 


18S8. 
Aiiq. 

banalya. 


520 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


1888. 

Aug. 
banalya. 


It.  ' 


i! 


i-i 


This  information  about  tlie  steamer  was  fal.se,  and  on  tlie  first  day  of  lu.s 
journey  down  in  the  canoes  lie  caught  a  fatal  chill,  which  resiilted  in  hiss 
(loath  from  bilious  fever.  There  being  no  possible  chance  of  my  joining 
Bonny,  as  no  steamer  was  to  again  visit  the  Falls  for  some  months,  1 
went  to  the  coast  to  ac(iuaint  the  Committee  with  the  fact  of  Jameson's 
death,  and  the  position  of  affairs  as  I  learnt  them  from  Jameson  l>efore 
his  death.  They  cal)led  an  order  for  me  to  return  to  the  Falls,  and  hand 
()V(!r  the  remaining  stores  to  the  State  Stati(m  there,  and  to  bring  down 
Boiiuy  and  the  men  for  shipment.  Upon  reaching  Stanley  Pool  I  foun<l 
that  news  lisfl  just  been  received  of  your  arrival  at  Banalya  and  return 
to  Emin  ]^is';,t.  I  continutid  my  journey,  however,  to  the  Falls,  and 
took  up  wiUi  me  all  the  loads  that  the  Major  had  sent  down  to  Bangala. 
1  remained  one  month  at  the  Falls  anxiouslj'  hoping  for  further  news  of 
you. 

"  After  collecting  all  that  remained  of  the  sick  men  whom  the  Major 
handed  over  to  Tipjiu-Tib,  I  descended  the  Congo  again  in  canoes  and 
returned  to  Europe  according  to  the  cabled  instructions  of  the  Com- 
mittee. 

"  The  above  is  a  simple  and  truthful  statement  of  facts  relating  to  the 
failure  of  the  rear  guard. 

"  No  one  can  feel  more  bitterly  disappointed  at  the  unfortunate  condition 
of  affairs  than  iuyself.  I  regret  most  sincerely  that  my  services  were  so 
profitless. 

"  I  remain, 

"  Always  yours  faithfully, 

(Signed)  "  Herbert  Ward. 

"  Henry  M.  Stanley,  Esq." 


i  ;  ; 

i  :i 

111  • 


ii 

1 

^1  i  ill' 
1  Hill 

r 

1 

iil 


i 


Ml'.  Ward  informed  me  that  be  had  discovered  my 
eight  boxes  of  reserve  clothing  and  Expedition  neces- 
saries at  Bangahi  ;  that  he  took  them  with  him  to 
Stanley  Falls — 500  miles  above  Bangala — and  then 
brought  them  down  to  Banana  Point  on  the  sea-coast, 
where  he  left  them.  No  person  knows — though  diligent 
en([uiry  lias  been  made — what  has  become  of  them. 


AFPE     DIX 


ts  relating  to  the 


i 


Major  Barttelot's  Last  Report  of  events  at  Yambuya  : — 

Ynmbuya  Ciimp,  Jniic  4,  1888 

Sir, — I  have  the  honour  to  report  to  you  that  we  are  about  to 
make  a  move,  though  with  far  lesK  numbers  tliau  I  originally 
intended.  Tippu-Tib  has  at  last,  but  with  great  reluctance,  given  us 
400  men.  I  have  also  obtained  from  another  Arab  called  Miini 
Somai  thirty  more  carriers;  we  shall  move  not  earlier  than  the  Uh 
of  June  md  our  forces  will  be  as  follows: — Soudanese  22,  riHes  22  ; 
Zanzibans  i  i,  riHes  110,  loads  1)0;  Manyuenui  4:50,  muskets  ;500, 
loads  ..89.  The  officers  who  are  going  are  Major  Barttelot,  in 
command ;  Mx-.  J.  S.  Jameson,  second  in  connnajid  ;  IVIr.  W.  Bonny  ; 
Sheik  ]V'  lini  Somai  in  conmiand  of  Manyuenia  force. 

'^heik  Muini  Scmiai  is  an  Arab  of  Kibongc,  who  v(dunteered  to 
ace  -ipany  the  Expedition  as  commander  under  me  of  the  native 
contingent. 

On  May  8,  the  Belgian  steamer  A.  L  A.,  with  M.  van  Kerk-hoven, 
the  chief  of  Bangala,  arrived  here,  having  on  board  Mr.  Ward's 
escort  of  thirty  Zanzibaris  and  four  Soudanese,  one  Soudanese  dying 
at  Bangala. 

May  IK/t.— They  left  us  to  go  to  Stanley  Falls. 

May  lith. — I  left  for  Stanley  Falls,  going  overland  and  catching 
the  steamer  at  Yallasiila,  on  the  Congo.  I  proceeded  with  the 
Belgians  to  the  Falls  on  May  22. 

Mr.  Jameson  and  Tippu-Tib,  with  400  men,  returned  from 
Kasongo. 

Mr.  Jameson  wrote  to  you  while  at  Kasongo  of  his  i)roceedings 
there.  He  t(dd  me  on  arrival  that  Tippu-Tib  had  promised 
him  800  men,  but  would  make  no  written  agreement  with  him. 

May  2'drd. — I  had  my  palaver  with  Tippu-Tib ;  he  then  told  me 
he  could  only  let  me  have  400  men,  800  o'"  whom  were  to  carry 
40-lb.  loads,  and  100  20-lb.  loads.  He  said  the  men  were  present, 
and  ready  to  start  as  soon  as  I  had  my  loads  ready.  I  told  him  of 
what  he  had  promised  Mr.  Jameson  at  KaK<)ngo,  but  hy  said  never 
had  any  mention  of  800  men  been  made,  only  of  the  400.  That  it 
was  (piite  impossible  he  could  give  us  more  men,  as  he  was  short  of 
men  at  Kasongo  and  Nyangwe,  as  he  was  at  present  engaged  in  so 
many  wars   that   he  had  completely   drained   the   coimtry.      I  was 


528 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


ftlHi! 


forced   t(»  submit,  Imt  hoped  that  he  might  he  able  to  collect  am)ther 
1(10  or  so  at  and  arouiul  Yaiidmya. 

Tii)j)u  tlien  asked  me  if  I  wanted  a  headman,  stating  that  in  the 
former  agreement  Mr,  Stanley  liad  said  that  if  a  lieadman  was  taken 
he  sliould  lie  i)aid.  I  rej)lied,  ('ertainly  I  want  a  headman.  He  then 
l)resented  me  to  the  Arab,  Muini  Somai.  This  man  agreed  to  come, 
and  I  send  yon  the  terms  I  settled  with  him. 
I  got  back  to  Camj)  Yambnya  May  80. 

Jiuic  ith. — The  Stdiilci/  steamer  arrived,  and  the  A.  I.  A.,  the 
former  bringing  Jielgian  officers  for  the  Falls  Station,  the  latter 
Tip2»'i-Tib  liimself. 

Jane  o///.— I  had  another  palaver  with  Tippu-Tib,  asking  him 
where  were  the  250  men  already  sent ;  he  exi)lained  to  mo  that  they 
had  been  dispersed,  and  on  trying  to  collect  them  they  refused  to 
come,  owing  to  the  bad  reports  brought  in  by  the  deserters,  and  that  as 
they  were  subjects  and  not  slaves  he  could  not  force  them.  That 
was  the  reason  why  he  had  brouglit  400  entirely  fresh  men  from 
Kasongo  for  us. 

However,  Tij)i)u  said  he  could  let  me  have  thirty  more  men 
of  Muini  Somai.  This,  as  I  was  so  terribly  short  of  men,  I 
agreed  to. 

Muini  Somai  himself  appears  a  willing  man,  and  very  anxious  to 
do  his  best.  He  volunteered  for  the  business.  I  trust  you  will  not 
think  his  payment  excessive,  but  the  anxiety  it  takes  away  as  regards 
his  men  and  the  safety  of  the  loads  is  enormous,  for  he  is  resptmsible 
for  the  Manyuema  and  the  loads  they  carry,  and  thus  saves  the  white 
officers  an  amount  of  work  and  responsibility  which  they  can  now 
devote  to  other  purjxjses. 

Tlie  loads  we  do  not  take  are  to  be  sent  to  Bangala.  They  will 
be  loaded  up  in  the  A.  I.  A.,  or  Stanlei/,  on  June  8,  a  receipt  being 
given  for  them  by  Mr.  Van  Kerk-hoven,  which  is  marked  B  and 
forwarded  to  you,  also  a  letter  of  instruction  to  him  and  to  Mr.  Ward. 
Perliaps  you  would  kindly  give  the  recpiisite  order  concerning  the 
loads  and  the  two  canoes  purchased  in  March  for  Mr.  Ward's 
transport,  also  for  those  stores  purchased  by  Mr.  Ward  on  behalf  of 
the  Expedition,  as  it  is  nearly  certain  I  shall  not  return  this  way,  and 
shall  therefore  have  no  further  need  of  them  or  him.  Mr.  Trou}), 
who  is  in  a  terrible  condition  of  debility  and  internal  disarrangement, 
is  i)roceeding  home  at  his  owii  request.  Mr.  Bonny's  certificate  of 
his  uniitness  is  attached,  and  his  ai)plication  marked  E,  also  letters 
concerning  passage,  Ac,  to  M.  Fontaine,  marked  F.  I  have  given 
him  a  passage  home  at  the  expense  of  the  Expedition,  as  I  am  sure  it 
would  be  your  and  their  wish. 

Tlie  interpreter,  Assad  Farran,  I  am  also  sending  home.  He  has 
been,  and   is,  utterly  useless  to  me,  and  is  in  failing  health  ;  and  if  I 


Ai'rKxnix. 


529 


0  collect  another 

itiiig  that  hi  the 
idiiiau  was  taken 
idnmn.     He  then 

1  agreed  to  come, 


he  A.  I.  A.,  the 
ation,  the   latter 

Tib,  asking  him 
to  me  that  they 
they  refuKed  to 
I'terH,  and  that  as 
ce  them.  That 
fresh  men  from 

hirty  more  men 
lort   of    men,    I 

very  anxions  to 
list  you  will  not 
away  as  regards 
le  is  responsible 

saves  the  white 
1  they  can  now 

ala.     They  will 

a  receijit  being 

marked  B  and 

id  to  Mr.  Ward. 

coucernmg   the 

Mr.    Ward's 

rd  on  behalf  of 

u  this  way,  and 

1.     Mr.  Trouj), 

lisarrangement, 

'^'s  certificate  of 

E,  also  letters 

I  have  given 

as  I  am  sure  it 


r 


home.     He  has 
ealth  ;  and  if  I 


took  liini  with  me  I  would  only,  aftor  a  few  marches,  have  either  to 
carry  or  leave  liim,  and  I  am  terribly  short  of  carriers.  So  I  have 
ventured  to  send  him  home  with  a  steerage  passage  to  Cairo,  and 
have  sent  a  letter  to  the  Consul-Cionenil,  Cairo,  concerning  liim  ;  als  > 
coi)y  of  agreement  made  by  Assad  Farran  with  mo  on  his  proceeding 
home;  also  papers  of  interpreter,  Alexander  Hadad,  wlio  died 
June  '2-1,  18H7,  both  marked  (I.  Tliese  two  interpreters  made  no 
Bort  of  agreement  concerning  i)ay,  terms  of  service,  i^c,  when  they 
agreed  to  come  on  this  Expedition  in  February,  1HH7,  so  perhaps  you 
would  kindly  inform  tlie  proper  autliorities  on  that  subjoct.  With 
British  troops  in  Egy2)t,  as  interpreters,  tliey  would  have  received  m  t 
more  than  £0  a  month  and  their  rations,  for  as  interpreters  they  were 
both  very  inferior. 

A  Soudaneso  s(ddier  with  a  diseased  leg  is  also  proceeding  down 
country.  Besides  these  there  are  four  other  Soudanese  and  twfMity- 
nine  Zan;^il)aris  who  are  unable  to  i)rocee<l  with  us.  Tij)pu-Tib  has 
kindly  consented  to  get  these  to  Zanzibar  as  best  he  can.  A  complete 
list  of  them,  their  payments,  i*fec.,  will  be  forwarded  to  the  Consul  at 
Zanzibar,  and  I  have  recpiested  him  to  forward  on  the  Soudanese  to 
Egypt. 

My  intentions  on  leaving  this  camp  are  to  make  the  best  of  my 
way  along  the  same  route  taken  by  Mr.  Stanley  ;  should  I  get  n:> 
tidings  of  him  along  the  road,  to  proceed  as  far  as  Kavalli,  and  *liea 
if  I  hear  nothing  there  to  proceed  to  Kibero.  If  I  can  ascertain 
either  at  Kavalli  or  Kibero  his  whereabouts,  no  matter  how  far  it 
may  be,  I  will  endeavour  to  reach  him.  Should  he  be  in  a  iix  I  will 
do  my  utmost  to  relieve  him.  If  neither  at  Kavalli  nor  Kibero  I 
can  obtain  tidings  of  him,  I  shall  go  on  to  Wadelai  and  ascertain 
from  Eniiu  Pasha,  if  he  be  there  still,  if  he  has  any  news  of  M  •. 
Stanley,  also  of  his  own  intentions  as  regards  staying  or  leaving.  I 
will  persuade  him,  if  possible,  to  come  out  with  me,  and,  if  necessary, 
aid  me  in  my  search  for  Mr.  Stanley.  Should  it  for  sundry  reason  ? 
be  unnecessary  to  Ljok  further  for  Mr.  Stanley,  I  will  jdace  myse'f 
and  force  at  his  disjjosal  to  act  as  his  escort,  proceeding  by  which- 
ever route  is  most  feasible,  so  long  as  it  is  not  through  Uganda,  as  i:i 
that  evei  t  the  Manyuemas  would  leave  me,  as  I  liave  promise<l  Tip])r.- 
Tib  they  shall  not  go  there,  and  that  I  will  bring  them  back  or  send 
a  white  officer  with  them  back  to  their  own  country  by  the  shortest 
and  quickest  route  on  comjjletion  of  my  olyect.  This  is  alway:; 
supposing  Eniin  Pasha  to  be  there  and  willing  to  come  away.  It 
may  be  he  only  needs  ammunition  to  get  away  by  himself,  in  which 
case  I  would  in  all  jji-obability  be  able  to  supply  him,  and  would  send 
three-fourths  of  my  Zanzibar  force  and  my  two  officers  witli  him,  an  I 
would  myself,  with  the  other  Zanzibaris,  accompany  tho  liianyuennui 
back   Ij  the  Tippu-Tib's  coui    ry.  and  so  tc  the  coast,  by  the  sh'»rte:  t 

VOL.    I.  II 


'liTl 


530 


IX   DAnKKST  AFIIICA. 


M 


li 


ronto — viz.,  l»y  tlio  ^Futa-N/if,'/',  Tiiii{.?anika  and  Ujiji.  TliiH  Ik  also 
the  route  I  Hhonld  take  should  we  be  unable  to  find  Stanley,  or,  from 
the  reaHoiiH  either  that  he  in  not  there  or  does  not  winh  to  come, 
relieve  Emin  Pasha. 

I  need  not  toll  you  that  all  our  endeavours  will  l)e  most  strenuous 
to  make  the  (piest  in  which  we  are  going  a  success,  und  I  hope  that 
my  actions  may  meet  with  the  ajjproval  of  the  committee,  and  that 
they  will  suspend  all  judgment  concerning  those  actions,  either  in 
the  present,  past,  or  future,  till  I  or  Mr.  Jameson  return  homo. 

Rumour  is  always  rife,  and  is  seldom  c  )rrcct,  concerning  Mr. 
Stanley.  lean  hear  no  no .vs  whatever,  though  mylal))urs  in  that 
direction  have  been  most  strenuous.  He  is  not  <lead,  to  the  be-tt  of 
my  belief,  nor  of  the  Arabs  here  or  at  Kasongo.  I  have  been  obliged 
to  open  Mr,  Stanley's  boxes,  as  I  cannot  carry  all  his  stuff,  and  I  had 
no  other  means  of  ascertaining  what  was  in  them.  Two  cases  of 
]\Iadeira  were  also  sent  him.  One  case  I  am  sending  back,  the  otiier 
has  been  half  given  t  >  IVIr.  Tr(»up,  the  other  half  we  take  as  medical 
comforts.  C  ncerning  Tii)i)u  Tib  I  have  nothing  to  say  beyond  that 
he  has  broken  faith  with  us,  and  can  (mly  conjecture  from  surround- 
ing events  an  circumstances  the  cause  of  his  unreastjnable  delay  in 
;supplying  men,  and  the  paucity  of  that  supi)ly. 

I  deem  it  my  boundeu  duty  to  proceed  (m  this  bui;iness,  in  which 
I  am  fully  upheld  by  b;)th  Mr.  Jameson  and  Mr.  Bonny ;  to  wait 
hmger  would  be  both  useless  and  culpable,  as  Ti2)pu-Tib  has  not  the 
xemotest  intention  of  helping  us  any  more,  and  to  withdraw  would  be 
pusillanimous,  and,  I  am  certain,  entirely  contrary  to  your  wishes  and 
those  of  the  committee. 

I  calculate  it  will  take  uie  from  three  to  four  months  to  reach  the 
lakes,  and  from  seven  to  nine  more  to  reach  the  coast. 

Should  you  think  and  the  committee  agree  that  the  sum  is 
excessive  to  give  Muini  Somai  and  are  not  prejjared  to  meet  it,  or  may 
be,  are  prei)ared  to  place  only  a  jiortion  of  that  at  my  disposal  for  that 
jnirpose,  both  Mr.  Jameson  and  I  are  fully  prepared  to  meet  it  or  the 
remaining  portion  of  it,  as  it  is  entirely  for  our  benefit  he  is  coming  ; 
though  of  course  it  must  be  remembered  that  our  object  is  to  reach 
our  destination  with  as  many  of  our  loads  as  possible,  and  that  our 
individual  hold  over  the  Manyuema  wathout  outs  le  aid  would  be  nil. 
Should  you  agree  to  i)lace  the  sum  at  my  dispt,  al,  please  arrange 
accordingly  ;  if  only  a  portiim,  that  portion,  for  he  has  received  an 
advance  in  powder,  cloth,  beads,  and  cowries  to  the  value  of  £128.  In 
case  of  not  meeting  it  or  only  a  portion  of  it,  i)leuse  inform  Sir  Walter 
Barttelot,  Carlton  Club.  I  insert  this  as  it  is  most  necessary  the 
money  should  be  there  when  wanted,  as  Ambs  and  Orientals  are  most 
punctilious  on  j)ecuuiary  transactions. 

I  have  much  pleasure  in  stating  that  from  all  the  officers   of 


illl'iil 


i 


Al'l'KSDlX. 


it 


.*u 


iths  to  reach  the 


tlie  officers  of 


tlio  State  with  wlioin  I  liavo  ('oino  in  contact  or  from  wlionj  1  have 
Holicitod  aid,  I  have  mot  with  a  nioKt  willing  and  ready  rcKponHo, 
which  iH  higlily  gratifyinf^.  I  wouhl  particnlarly  mention  Captain 
Van  Kork-hoven,  Cliief  of  liangahi,  and  Lieutenant  Liehrechts, 
Oliief  of  Stanley  Pool,  and  I  triiHt  that  they  niay  meet  with  the 
reward  and  merit  tliey  dcHerve. 

June  i)th. — ThiH  morning  Tipjtn-Tih  Kent  for  me  and  asked  me  if 
I  thought  ho  wouhl  get  liiH  money  for  tlie  men.  I  tohl  him  I  couM 
give  no  aHKurance  of  that.  He  then  Huid  he  muKt  have  a  guarantee, 
which  I  and  Mr.  Jamescm  have  given ;  terniK  of  agreement  and 
guarantee  are  attached.  All  receijjts,  agreements,  iVc,  made  bcitwccn 
Arahs  and  myself  and  signed  by  them  I  have  sent  to  Mr.  ILdmwood, 
and  the  copies  to  you. 

Juiii'  8///.— Thib  morning  I  had  the  loads  for  Tippu-Tib's  and 
Mu.'ni  Somai's  men  stacked,  and  Tippu-Tib  himself  came  dovni  to  mjo 
them  prior  to  issuing.  However,  lie  to(jk  exce]»tiou  to  the  loads,  naid 
they  were  too  heavy  (the  heaviest  was  4o  lbs.),  and  his  men  could  not 
carry  them.  Two  days  before  he  had  exitresscd  his  approl)ation  of 
the  weight  of  the  very  same  loads  he  refused  to-day.  I  pointed  out 
to  him  that  he  as  well  as  I  knew  the  difficulty  of  getting  any  load 
other  than  a  bale,  to  scale  the  exact  weiglit,  and  that  the  loads  his 
men  carried  were  far  above  the  prescribed  weight  of  fiO  lbs.  We 
were  to  have  stnrted  to-morrow,  so  we  shall  not  now  start  till  the 
11th  or  12th  of  June,  as  I  am  going  to  make  all  his  h)ads  weigh 
exactly  40  llis.  It  is  partly  our  fault,  as  we  should  have  been  more 
particular  to  get  the  exact  weight.  The  average  wciglit  over  due 
was  about  2  lbs.,  some  loads  being  2  lbs.  under.  But  it  is  not  the 
weight  of  the  loads  he  takes  exception  to — in  reality  it  is  having  to 
poiform  the  business  at  all.  He  has  been  almost  forced  to  it  by 
letters  received  from  Mr.  Holmwood  against  his  ')wn  and  more  tluin 
against  the  wish  of  his  fellow  Arabs,  and,  tilled  with  asjjirations  and 
ambitions  of  a  very  large  nature,  the  whole  business  has  become 
thoroughly  distasteful  to  him,  which  Lis  professed  friendshii)  for 
Stanley  cannot  even  overcome.  His  treatment  of  us  this  morning 
showed  that  most  thoroughly.  But  should  he  not  act  up  to  his 
contract  I  hope  it  will  be  taken  most  serious  notice  of  when  it  comes 
to  the  day  of  settling  up.  He  has  got  us  tight  Hxed  at  present,  but  it 
should  not  always  be  so. 

On  our  road  lie  many  Arab  settlements  to  within  a  month  of  Lake 
Albert  Nyanza,  thougl'  the  distance  between  some  of  them  is  bad, 
and  the  inhabitants  of  that  distance  warlike.  I  shall,  whenever 
opportunity  offers,  hire  carriers,  if  not  for  the  whole  time  at  any  rate 
from  station  to  station,  ft  «  of  course  death,  sickness,  and  desertions 
must  be  looked  for,  and  I  ■  .ist  get  my  loads  in  as  intact  as  possible 
to  my  destination. 


532 


IN  DARKEST  AFRICA. 


v\ 


II 


This  is  wlitn  Muini  Soiiiai  will  bo  so  useful.  We  seem  to  have 
paid  a  big  price  for  his  services,  but  then  he  is  a  big  Arab,  and  in 
proportion  to  his  bigness  is  his  influence  over  the  Manyucnia  to  keep 
them  together,  to  stoj)  desertions,  thefts,  tVrc.  A  lesser  Arab  would 
have  been  cheaper,  but  his  influcTice  would  have  been  less,  and  in 
conse(pience  our  loads  gradually  less,  and  loads  mean  health  and  life 
and  success,  and  therefore  cannot  be  estimated  at  too  high  a  value. 
We  are  carrying  light  loads,  and  intend  to  do  at  lirst  very  easy 
marches,  and  when  I  get  into  the  open  country  by  Uganda  to 
push  on. 

We  weighed  all  our  loads  before  one  of  Tippu-Tib's  headmen, 
and  he  passed  loads  which  had  been  condemned  shortly  before  in  the 
morning,  which  fully  shows  that  for  some  reason  or  other  he  wishes 
to  delay  us  here,  but  for  what  purpose  I  cannot  say. 

June  'dth. — We  shall  easily  be  able  to  start  by  the  11th,  but  I  am 
sorry  to  say  our  loss  of  annuunition  by  the  lightening  of  the  loads — 
for  it  was  the  ammunition  they  particularly  took  notice  of — is  some- 
thing enormous. 

Both  the  A.  I.  A.  and  the  Stanleij  left  this  morning  for 
Stanley  Falls,  but  Tippu-Tib  and  his  Belgian  secretary  renuiin 
behind  ;  also  four  ships'  cari)enters,  whom  Captain  Vangele  and  M.  van 
Kerk-hoven  left  with  us  to  help  us.  The  Belgians  have  behaved  wit]i 
very  great  kindness  to  us,  and  helped  us  on  our  way  enormously. 

Before  I  close  I  would  wish  to  add  that  the  services  of  Mr.  J.  S. 
Jameson  have  been,  are,  and  will  bo  invaluable  to  me.  Never  during 
bis  period  of  service  with  me  have  I  had  one  word  of  complaint  from 
him.  His  alacrity,  capacity,  and  willingness  to  work  are  unbounded, 
while  his  cheeriness  and  kindly  disposition  have  endeared  him  to  all. 
I  have  given  Ward  orders  about  any  telegram  yon  may  send,  and 
Tippu-Tib  has  promised  ho  will  send  a  messenger  after  me  should  it 
be  necessary,  provided  I  have  not  started  more  than  a  month. 

Tippu-Tib  waits  here  to  see  me  off. 

I  am  sending  a  telegram  to  you  to  announce  our  departure,  and  I 
will  endeavour  tlirough  the  State  to  send  you  news  whenever  I  can  ; 
but  it  would  not  surprise  me  if  the  Congo  route  was  not  blocked 
later  on. 

I  have  not  sent  you  a  copy  of  Mr.  Holmwood's  letter,  as  it  was  not 
official,  but  of  ail  others  I  have.  I  think  I  told  you  of  everything  of 
which  I  can  write.  There  are  many  things  I  would  wish  t(»  speak  of, 
and  no  doubt  I  will  do  so  should  I  be  i)ermitted  to  return  home. 

Our  annuunition,  IJoniington,  is  as  follows: — Rifles,  I'JH  ;  reserve 
rounds,  jjor  rifle,  27'.) ;  rounds  with  rifle,  20  =  ;jr),.^80. 

June  \i)Oi, — The  huids  have  )>een  weighed  and  handed  over; 
jtowder  and  cai)s  issued  to  the  Many uema  force,  and  we  are  all  ready  to 
start;  which  wo  shall  do  to-morrow  mornnig.     I  have  told  you  of  all 


ll!!#i|:i 


APPENDIX.  r.;^,;5 

now  I  can  tliink  of,  but  I  would  bring  finally  to  youi'  notice  that 
Tippu-Tib  has  In'oken  liiK  faith  and  contract  with  us.  The  man 
Muini  Somai  I  think  means  biisiness,  and  therefore  I  trust  all  will 
be  well. 

I  have,  &c., 

Edmund  M.  Barttelot,  Major. 
To  Mr.  William  IMacKinnon, 

President  of  the  Emin  Pasha  litlicf  Committee. 


COPY  OF  LOO  OF  REAR  OOLUMN. 


Note. — This  "Log"  may  not  appear  to  lio  very  lively  roadiug  at  first,  but  it 
prc'sontly  (Icciicuti  iu  iiitrrcst,  mid  will  n))iiy  ixrusiil  to  tlic  reader  whu  iia.i 
filuu'L'd  ill  our  aiixiotiob  respecting  tlie  fate  of  the  rear  foluuiii. 

II.  M.  S 


Jime  lltJi,  1888. — Left  Yamlmya  at  7  a.m.  Slight  excitement 
prevailed  at  first,  firing  ott"  guns,  iS:c.,  but  this  was  soon  checked. 
The  Zanzibar  Comjiany  went  ahead,  Mr.  Jameson  in  advance,  Mr. 
Bonny  in  the  centre,  Major  Barttelot  in  rear.  The  Manyuema  con- 
tingent under  Muini  Somai  started  later,  but  soon  caught  up  the 
Zanzibar  Company  ;  the  rear  reached  camp  at  the  Batuka  village 
called  Sudi  at  noon.  One  sick  man  was  left  behind  on  the  road,  but 
he  found  his  way  to  camp  later  on.     All  loads  correct. 

The  rear  column  left  Yambuya  with  strength  as  follows  : — 

Major  Ednnmd  M.  Barttelot,  Commandiwj. 
Mr.  James  S.  Jameson,  Second  in  Command. 
Mr.  William  Bonny,  Command  of  Zanzibar  Co. 
Zanzibar  Company         .         .         .108  men. 

„  IJoys      ....         7 

Soudanese  soldiers  .         .         .       'I'l 

Sonuili  .....         1 

Manvuema  carriers         .         .         .     4:50 


Total 
Distance  travelled  about  five  miles. 


5G8 


Road   fair,  tlirough   jungle  and   phuitatioTis,  the  best    roadways 
being  the  streams. 

General  direction  S.E. 

(Signed)     E.  M.  B. 


534 


IN  BAIiKEST  AFRICA. 


June  23r(Z. — Halted  in  cainp  to  await  arrival  of  Kearch  party,  who 
returned  at  3  p.m.,  having  done  nothing.  Major  Barttelot  went  to 
explore  road,  following  it  for  live  miles  to  the  N.E.  Major  Barttelot's 
boy  Soudi  deserted  with  his  revolver,  belt  and  85  rounds  of  ammu- 
nition, owing  to  Major  Barttelot's  thrashing  him,  though  doubtless  he 
was  put  up  to  it.  In  consequence  all  rifles  taken  from  Zanzibaris. 
Major  Barttelot  will  proceed  to-morrow  to  Stanley  Falls  to  see  Tippu- 
Tib  concerning  deserters,  and  if  i)ossiblc  to  obtain  fresh  men  from  him 
to  get  back  loads  and  rifles.  He  will  send  a  note  to  Mr.  Jameson 
to  come  here  and  bring  as  many  Manyuema  as  he  can  to  take 
amnnmitiou  und  rifles  and  escort  Zanzibari  to  AbduUa  Karoni's 
(Banalya),  where  they  will  await  Major  Barttelot's  arrival.  Major 
Barttelot  and  Mr.  Bonny  both  thinking  this  the  most  feasible  plan,  as 
if  the  desertions  last  much  longer,  there  will  not  be  a  load  left. 
Kindness  has  Ijcen  shown  in  every  way  to  the  Zanzibaris  throughout, 
and  tlie  marches  have  been  uniformly  short. 

Weather  fine,  shower  in  the  evening. 

E.  M.  B. 


lliiil 


June  24///. — Major  Barttelot,  with  fourteen  Zanzibaris  and  three 
Soudanese  and  boys,  left  here  tliis  morning  for  Stanley  Falls.  Kucliu, 
a  Zanzibari,  who,  when  ordered  to  accompany  the  Major,  ran  away, 
came  in  at  8  a.m.     He  Mas  tied  up  and  kept  in  the  guard-room. 

Copy  of  orders  to  Mr.  Bonny,  June  23/7?,  1888. 

I.  Take  over  cliarge  of  the  camp,  remaining   till  Mr.  Jameson's 
arrival. 
II.  To  have  special  care  of  all  Zanzibari  rifles  and  ammunition. 
III.  When  move  is  made,  to  see  that  all  loads,  such  as  ammunition, 

are  under  Soudanese  escort. 
IV.  Any  attempt  at  mutiny  to  be  punished  with  death. 

V.  To  try  to  obtain  information  of  whereabouts. 
VI.  To  liand  over  connnand   to  Mr.  Jameson  when  he  arrives,  and 
not  *:o  proceed  further  than  Abdulla  Kihamiras  (Banalya). 

Edmund  M.  Hauttklot. 

You  will  retahi  connnand  of  the  Zanzibaris  as  before. 
A  case  of  small-pox  ^.  ordered  to  be  removed  some  distance  off 
from  tlie  camp. 
Weather  flne. 

Wm.  Bonny,  CunimatuUmj  {pro  ttm,). 

Note  from  Mr.  Jameson. 

"Mv  DEAR  Bonny,— I  have  just  arriveil  here.     T  sn])po8e  it  is 
Nassur  bin  Saifl,  and  have  met  Kuclm  and  soldiers  with  slaves.     They 


APPESDIX. 


535 


ftrcli  party,  who 
irttelot  went  to 
lajor  Barttelot's 
mm\<.  of  ainmu- 
gh  (loubtleKS  he 
•oiu  Zaiizibaris. 
Is  to  see  Tippu- 
li  men  from  him 
;o  Mr.  Jameson 
le  can  to  take 
nlulla  Karoiii's 
arrival.  Major 
easible  i)lan,  as 
be  a  k)a(l  left, 
ris  throughout, 


E.  M.  B. 

Iiaris  and  three 
bWls.  Kuc-hu, 
njor,  ran  away, 
i'd-room. 

888. 

Mr.  Jameson's 

munition. 

pS  ammunition, 


le  arrives,  and 
( Hanalya). 

li.VUTTELOT. 

0. 

le  distance  oti' 


l^'o  tern.). 


Ruj)pose  it  is 
slaves.     They 


told  me  that  the  Major  is  gone  to  Stanley  Falls  four  days  ago.  T 
d(>u't  know  how  he  could  uave  missed  us.  Have  captured  sixteen  guns 
and  two  men,  but  only  part  of  two  loads.  No  medicine.  I  will  como 
to  your  camp  to-morrow  as  early  as  I  can. 

"  Yours  itc. 

Wm.  Bonny,  Commfj.  ''  J.  S.  Jamkson." 

Jaly  2nd. — Got  away  at  7  a.m.,  and  marched  till  noon.  Camping 
in  a  village  named  Mkwagodi,  tribe  Baburu,  general  direction  N.E., 
distance  about  eight  miles,  lload  bad,  runiiing  through  ujany 
swamps  and  old  plantations.  No  desertions  on  road,  or  in  camp  last 
night.  Found  some  of  Tipjm-Tib's  peo2)le  here,  who  say  they  will 
carry  a  letter  to  Stanley  Falls.  They  knew  a  road  to  the  Congo 
which  can  be  traversed  in  four  days'  march.  The  Aruwimi  II.  distant 
from  this  camp  about  three  hours.  Ti])pu-Tib's  men  state  that 
Abdallah  Kihamira's  station  (Banalya)  is  V»ut  three  days'  niarcli  from 
here,  and  that  the  blazing  of  trees  on  his  road  beyond  that  place  is 
still  visible. 

Weather  fine.  J.  S.  J. 

G  P.M. — Mr.  Bonny  reports  non-arrival  of  two  Zanzibai-is.  Each 
possessed  a  rifle,  and  one  was  loaded  witli  k)()se  amiiaiiiition. 

July  Srd. — Heturned  to  Ujeli  Camp  for  extra  loads,  and  arrived  at 

1  P.M.     Muini  Sumai  resported  arrivals  of  letters,  stating  that  the  wlioh^ 

force  was    to   return  to    Stanley  Falls.     Eeceived    two   letters  from 

Major   Barttelot,  dated  June   25th,  to   the   etiect   that   we  wen    to 

proceed  with  all  desi)atch  to  Banalya.     Muini  Sumai  t(dd  me  he   lad 

received  the   news   in   a   letter   from  Sala  Sala,  conveyed   by  some 

messenger,  and  that  on  receipt  of  it  he  had  sent  to  stop  the  men  and 

loads  en  rout>'  here  from  Nassur  bin  Saiti  village.     I  replied  that  the 

Major's  orders  were  still  to  proceed  to  Banalya.     He  sent  messcngeis 

at  once  to.  tell  the  people  behind  to  come  on.     He  reports  many  cases 

of  small-pox  and  other  diseases,  iil»(»ut  sixty  men  unfit  for  work,  that 

seven  of  his  men  have  deserted.     IVIet  the  two  men  reported  missing 

last  night.     Both  were  sick  and  had  slept  at  a  village  close  by, 

Weather  fine. 

J.  S.  J. 

Jnhj  ith. — Told  Muini  Sumai  that  my  last  orders  to  him  were  to 

get  the  whole  of  his  force  together  at  once.  a:)d  come  <»n  to  my  camp 

with   all  speed.     He  jmimised   to  leave   following  day.     Kain  came 

dowi.  in  torrents  shortly  after  leaving,  but   pushed   on  and   reached 

Mp\ingu  about  noon,  when  it  cleared  uj)  for  a  fine  day.     Heavy  rain 

until  noon. 

Double  loads  borne  remarkably  well. 

J.  S.  J. 


W^rr  ■'■'■'■'*■- 

i 

i 

o6i\ 


L\    DAh'KKST  ATjUCA. 


July  o:h. — Kcisched  Mkwagom,  Mr.  Bmuy's  camp,  ab  mt  not>!i. 
S.vaitips  veiy  bml  sftev  r-viu.  He  reports  all  quiet  during  my  absenco. 
Ojie  ZanziLiiri  had  died.  My  letters  to  Stanley  Falls  left  abniit 
il  A.M.  of  the  3rd.  Tij^pu-Tib's  people  had  brought  a  few  fowls  for 
Bale. 

Weal  ho.'  line.  J.  S.  J. 

Juhi  Gth. — Sent  Mr.  Bonny  on  to  next  village,  which  I  iiear  is  a 
large  one,  and  (piite  an  easy  march  from  liere,  with  orders  to  send  back 
Soudanese  escort  and  carriers  to  carry  extra  loads  to-morrow.  T\is  is 
n  very  small  village  with  not  sufficient  accommodation  for  our  force, 
so  determined  to  awoii.  his  arrival  at  the  next.  Men  returned  from 
Mr.  Bmny  about  2  p  m. 

J.S.J. 

July  7th. — Moved  uj)  witli  all  extra  loads  to  Sipula,  ab;)ut  fifteen 
miles.  Koad  a  bad  one,  much  fallen  timber,  and  manioc  very  tliick. 
Bonny  rei)orte(t  Zanzibari  bearer  of  our  choi>-b;)X  as  lagging  behind 
yesterday,  and  breaking  open  his  box.  Was  caught  red-handed  in  the 
act.  One  tin  »!'  ?  rn-beef  and  one  tin  of  milk  were  missing,  als;)  a 
broached  tin  of  ci  coa  stiH  in  box.  IVIan  volunteered  t.)  show  where 
tliese  were.  Sent  him  back  with  Soudanese,  who  returned  with  both 
tiuH  opened.  Dr.  Parke's  box,  whilst  being  carried  here  yesterday,  fell 
and  bu^'st  open  ;  danuigeil  beyond  re2)air.  The  clothing  I  packed  in 
Messrs.  Stairs'  and  Nelson's  bags,  which  were  uiulerweight ;  the  shot 
and  carti'idge  cjises  were  discarded,  being  short  (»f  carriers.  Collected 
all  the  cartridg'!s  carried  by  the  Zanzibari,  and  will  have  them  carried 
as  loads,  as  I  mean  to  send  Mr.  Bonny  on  to  Banalya.  The  road 
is  a  i)erfectly  safe  one,  and  food  all  the  way.  The  small-i)ox  is  rife 
ftuongst  the  IVIanyuema,  and  I  wish  to  prevent  it  from  S2)reading 
among  our  peojjle.  Banalya  is  f  )ur  easy  marches  from  here,  and 
Mr.  Bonny  will  have  guides  to  show  the  road.  Have  sent  to  Muini 
^iumai  to  join  me  to-morrow  here. 

Weather  line.  J.  S.  J. 


J<ilil  Hth,  ^Iv.  Bonny  left  lierc  f  )r  Banalya.  M\iini  Sumai  with 
nearly  all  the  JManyuema  arrived  here.  Muini  Sumai  tells  me  that  he 
has  received  a  secfond  letter  from  Sala  saying  that  the  whole  force  is 
t )  return  to  Stanley  Falls.  I'pon  furtiier  impiiry  I  tind  tliat  the  way 
Sala  got  the  news  was  tlie  tollowing.  Men  of  Salim  Mohamed's 
returning  from  Stanley  Falls  alter  the  steamer  had  arrived  at 
Yanduiya  sjjread  Uiis  report  among  the  people,  v.ho  commujiicated  the 
t^anio  t )  Sala's  people. 

.1.  S.  J. 


API'EXJ>IX. 


r>H  7 


Jullj  'Jth. — ],a;A  niglit,  us  •  at  ti  '^ivn,  signal,  nearly  every  man  in 
the  camp  i)cgan  to  fire  off  his  gun  ;  nevoral  <.i  the  shots  u»«re  tired 
heside  my  tent.  I  jnmi)ed  ont  of  ;>c>!,  sent  for  Muini  Siimai,  got  my 
rifle,  and  told  iiini  hefore  every  ^n*  that  I  von  Id  shoot  the  very  next 
man  that  tired  cdose  to  my  tent.     'i"')evc  were  no  more  shots. 

Abimt  noon  to-day  several  of  U  >ni;v"j  men  canic  into  eami)  tellin'^ 
me  he  had  lost  the  road.  Stai  ed  out  to  Bonnys  canq).  i\[et 
messenger  with  a  note  from  him  on  roa<l.  He  tells  me  the  guides 
yesterday  took  him  all  wnmg  and  tiiea  ran  away.  He  afterwards  got 
t.)o  far  N.,  sighting  the  Aruwimi.  He  is  camped  at  a  village  ahuit 
lialf-an-h(»ur  from  here.  Went  with  him  along  road,  and  found,  n 
well  hlazed  one  going  to  the  eastward  which  he  had  missed.  Gut 
back  to  his  camp  at  dusk. 

Weather  fair.     Mr.  Bonny  reports  a  goat  missing. 

.7.  S.  .T. 

Jidi/  10//(.  -Started  shortly  after  daylight  and  j  lined  Mr.  Bonny. 
Went  ahead  on  road,  general  direction  S.E.  which  I  f(»und  he  had 
followed  the  day  l)eft)re.  Had  just  determined  to  go  to  where  he  hail 
camped  when  Arabs  from  Banalyu  arriv(i(l.  The  head-man  told  me 
that  he  had  brought  the  i)ercussion-caps  from  Stanley  Falls  to 
Banalya,  and  also  four  letters.  He  handed  over  to  me  three  deserters 
from  Mr.  Stanley's  force,  Musa  Wadi  Kombo,  I'eluuii  V.'adi 
Mabruki  and  Jumah  Wadi  Chaiidi.  (Note  from  Mr.  Stanley :  ;  hese 
three  men  deserted  from  tin,  adva uce  on  or  about  Aug.  2Hth.,  just  half 
way  between  Yambuya  and  Albert  Nyanza.)  They  all  decdrive  that 
they  did  not  desert  tVom  hint,  but  were  left  sick  on  the  roail.  They 
say  they  belong  to  Cunia'  i  Stuir  Company.  I  got  them  to  guide  us 
to  the  right  road,  ai  '1  t'  ay  took  us  to  iho,  very  village  wheie  Mr. 
B  mny  and  bin  nien  !  pt  tli<!  day  before  yesterday,  <lose  to  the 
Aruwimi,  and  from  t.  iu-b  ixjint  he  had  turned  back.  He  camjied 
there  again  to-day  and  _;;'is  on  to-morj.w  morning.  AbduHa  Kiha- 
mira  1  inded  me  the  40,00(1  pe;  ussion-caps  for  whi(  -  Tippu-Tib  is  to 
bo  jiHid  £4H. 

Weather  fine.  J.  S.  J. 

Jidii  11///.— IVEuini  Sumai  infonncd  mc  to-day  that  he  could  not  leave 
for  Banalya  until  the  di.y  after  to-morrow.  I  warned  him  timl  everv 
day  lost  on  the  road  would  be  a  day  less  at  Banalya,  as  Ma|.»i 
Barttelot  would  expect  us  to  be  ready  to  start  on  his  arrival.  He  has 
not  the  slightest  power  over  the  other  head-men. 

Heavy  and  continuous  rain  in  afternoon.  J.  S.  J. 


hiJii   12///. — Muini   Sumai  reipicsted    pevfii^sion-caps   to    be   dis- 
trib  ited    among    his    men.     Told    him  to  ali'rcss  liinisolf  to   Majoi 


''■  <'i 

^'^n-'- 

.'/'.- 

■^^ 

r 

538 


/A   DARKEST  AFRICA. 


|i 


^tt 


Barttelot  on  the  latter's  arrival.  He  made  another  excuse  for  not 
starting  to-morrow,  as  he  did  not  like  leaving  the  white  man  behind. 
I  tohl  him  that  was  my  business  not  theirs,  and  that  every  man  and 
load  m\',st  leave  this  place  to-morrow. 

Weather  cloudy,  but  tine.  J.  S.  J. 

JuJii  13th. — Mnini  Sumai  and  Manyuema  left  to-day  for  Banalya. 
One  sick  chief  going  on  slowly  with  men.  Several  dying  of  small- 
pox left  in  village.  Stench  around  village  frightful,  but  all  villages 
near  here  are  in  a  similar  condition. 

Weather  fine.  J-  S.  J. 

Juhf  14//*.— Sent  for  Tippu-Tib's  men  from  Mampuya,  and  told 
them  Ave  would  remain  here  some  days.  They  have  no  news  of  Major 
Barttelot's  being  on  ♦^^he  road. 

Heavy  rain  all  afternoon.  J.  S.  J. 

July  15///. — Still  at  Sii)ula  awaiting  return  of  men  from  Banalya. 

J.  S.  J. 

Julji  16///. — Tippu-Tib's  peoide  came  from  Mampuya  with 
plantains  for  sale.  Purchased  some  for  the  sick.  Cannot  understand 
the  non-arrival  of  men  from  Banalya. 

J.  S.  J. 

July  17///. — Nyombi,  Tippu-Tib's  head  man  at  Mampuya,  came 
into  camp  to-day.  Reports  return  of  the  men  who  took  letters  to 
Stanley  Falls.  Had  seen  Major  Barttelot,  who  has  gone  by  a  short 
road  to  Banalya.  Said  he  would  be  tliere  to-day.  Still  no  signs  of 
the  men  from  Banalya  to  carry  the  extra  loads.  They  are  now  a  full 
two  days  over  date. 

Weather  fine.  J.  S.  J. 

Jnly  IH///.— Between  8  and  4  p.m.  the  men  from  Banalya  arrived. 
Told  them  to  collect  plantains  and  manioc  at  once,  as  we  should 
march  to-morrow.     Much  grumbling. 

The  ft)llowing  received  from  Mr.  Bonny : 

"  Abdullah's  Camp  (Baualya), 
July  !;■)///,  1888. 

"  Mv  DEAK  Jameson,— -I  arrived  here  about  10  a.m.  this  day. 
The   Zanzibaris   did    not   know  the  road   well,  and  I    had    to    keep 


'w 


APPENDIX. 


539 


excuse  for  not 
ite  inan  beliind. 
every  man  aud 

J.  S.  J. 


ty  for  Banalya. 
lying  of  Kniall- 
but  all  villages 

J.  b.  J. 


:>nya,  and  told 
news  of  Major 

J.  S.  J. 

rom  Banalya. 
J.  S.  J. 

ampnya  with 
lot  understand 

J.  S.  J. 

impuya,  came 
K)k  letters  to 
ne  by  a  short 
1  no  signs  of 
re  now  a  full 

J.  S.  J. 

alya  arrived. 
.s  we  should 


dJanalva), 

IS)S8. 

I.    this   day. 
ad    to    keep 


to  the  front  nearly  the  whole  distance.  When  you  ari'ive  at  my  first 
camp  on  the  river  bank  you  had  better  get  three  days'  manioc  you 
will  not  find  any  for  three  days.  The  Soudanese  in  charge  of  the 
Zanzibari  prisoior  let  him  escape  on  my  second  day's  march.  You 
may  see  this  c-jcu-ed  prisoner.  (Here  follows  list.)  Twenty- three  men 
have  deser'.«  ..  The  Manyuema  who  came  with  us  left  us  on  the  wrouT 
road  early  on  second  day ;  they  had  blocked  the  riglit  road  in  sc-  eral 
places.  I  did  not  3ee  any  native  on  the  road,  althougli  I  am  certain 
they  look  after  people  left  behind.  On  my  four-days'  march  Feraji 
Wadi  Zaid  ran  aw  y,  leaving  his  load  on  the  road.  I  hear  Selangi, 
who  was  sick,  is  also  absent ;  loads  correct. 

"  Yours,  etc., 

"  William  Bonny." 
W^eather  fine. 

J.  S.  J. 

July  19///. — Started  about  7  a.m.  and  marched  to  Mr.  Bonny's 
first  camp.  Aruwimi  1{.  distance  between  five  and  six  mile.-,  ■ 'i  i  ral 
direction  north-east.  Passed  through  five  villages  and  over  two 
streams.  Road  generally  good,  through  old  manioc  plantations  broken 
up  with  patches  of  forest.  Halted  to  let  men  collect  manioc. 
Threatening  thunder,  but  fine. 

J.  S.  J. 

July  20///. — Left  camp  a  little  before  7  a.m.  and  reached  Mr. 
Bonny's  camp  on  the  bank  of  the  Aruwimi  R.  11  o'clock.  Distance 
between  five  and  six  miles.  General  direction  E.  Road  a  bad  oi:e, 
lying  ahmg  the  bank  of  the  river  and  crossing  all  the  deep  cuttings 
with  muddy  inlets  to  them.  Latter  part  of  march  through  old  sites 
of  very  large  villages.  The  natives  were  all  living  on  opposite  bank. 
Very  large  plantations  of  manioc  and  plantain. 

Weather  fine. 

J.  S.  J. 

July  list. — When  nearly  ready  to  start  this  morning  a  heavy 
shower  of  rain  fell,  and  I  kept  the  tent  standing ;  it  cleared,  however, 
shortly,  aud  we  made  a  start,  when  it  began  to  ])our  again  and  rained 
steadily  until  we  reached  Mr.  Bonny's  first  camp  in  forest,  when 
we  halted.  When  about  a  mile  from  the  camp  we  were  met  by 
mesKengers  from  IVIr.  Bonny,  who  handcil  iiie  a  letter,  a,nd  wliilst 
opening  it  overheard  some  of  tht  men  saying  that  Major  Barttelot 
was  dead.  This  was  only  too  true,  for  my  hotter  contained  the  sad 
news  that  lie  was  sliot  dead  early  nu  the  morning  of  the  ) '.»tli  at 
Banalya,  aud  further  that  Muiui  Sumai  ami  all  the  MauTueiua  had  left. 


^  'J 


! 
1 

540 


7.V   DAItKEST  AFIUCA. 


Mr.  Bonny 'h  letter  follows  : — 

"  \Wi  Jul  I/,  1888. 
"  Mv    DEAR   Jamkson,— Major    Barttolot    Khot    dead    early   this 
morninf^ ;  Manyuenia,  IVInini  Sumai  and  Abdullah  Kilianiira  all  gone. 
I  have  written  to  Tii)pu-Tib  through  Mons.  liaert. 
'•Push  on. 

"  Yours, 

"  Bonny." 

J.  S.  J. 

Juli/  22nd. — After  Keeing  all  loads  ready  to  start,  got  away  about  an 
hour  after  daybreak  and  reached  Banalya  an  hour  before  sunset — a 
long  march  over  one  of  the  worst  roads  in  this  country.  On  arrival 
f  (und  all  quiet,  and  that  Mr.  Bonny  had  done  all  tliat  (!ould  be  done 
under  the  circumstances.  He  had  recovered  about  800  of  the  loads 
carried  by  the  Manyuenia,  and  had  succeeded  in  quieting  those  who  had 
remained  near  cami).  IVInini  Sumai  lialted  on  the  morning  of  tlie  l'.)th 
instant  without  a  word  to  any  one,  and  has  g<nie  to  Stanley  Fails. 
Tlie  other  head  men  under  him,  with  the  exception  of  two  or  three 
who  are  camped  outside  this  village,  are  camped  in  the  bush  some 
distance  away.  IVIajor  Barttelot  was  buried  on  the  IDtli.  A  full 
account  of  the  circumstances  of  his  death  is  given  by  Mr.  Bonny 
later  on. 

J.  S.  J. 

July  2iirf]. — Made  an  inventory  of  the  effects  of  Major  Barttolot, 
and  2)acked  all  things  considered  necessary  to  send  home,  a  full 
account  of  everything  l)eing  sent  to  Sir  Walter  Barttelot.  Offered  a 
re  vard  for  the  arrest  of  the  man  who  shot  Major  Barttelot. 

J.  S.  J. 

July  24///. — Made  a  complete  list  of  all  loads  recovered ;  the 
majority  of  the  Manyuenia  head  men  came  into  camp,  and  from  them 
gathered  the  following  information  : — 

There  are  193  Many uema  carriers  still  camped  in  this  vicinity ; 
M\uni  Sumai,  six  head  men,  and  Sanga,  the  man  who  shot  Major 
Barttelot,  are  all  at  Stanley  Falls.  On  my  niarcli  to  Stanley  Falls 
I  will  meet  more  of  the  head  men,  wlio  will  give  information  about 
their  loads  and  men.  I  then  told  them  I  was  going  to  Stanley  Falls 
to-morrow,  to  see  Tippu-Tib,  and  try  to  make  such  arrangements 
with  him  as  would  admit  of  our  still  C(mtinuing  tlie  Expedition  ; 
would  not  remain  away  long,  and  when  returned  would  let  them  know 
v^hether  it  would  be  an  advance  or  otherwise.  Told  them  I  wished 
them  t(»  remain  ipiietlyin  whatever  camp  they  chose  in  the  neiglib)ur- 
L«»od,  but   not  in   this    village,  so    ib?.t   there  would  be  no    chance 


ArVESDlX. 


:.4i 


of  fnrtliei"  trouble  until  my  return.  They  ^aid  tliey  were  iierfectly 
willing  to  do  thin.  Wo  have  reeovered  li'-*^^  loads,  and  are  now 
47^  loads  short. 

Letters  handed  l>y  me  to  Major  Ilarttelot  l)efore  our  departure 
from  Yandniya.  Two  h  ads  of  the  .('l\]iedition  found  missing. 
Believed  tliem  to  have  l)een  h)st  on  the  way,  which  one  of  liis  men 
(Hamed  bin  l)aoud)  ran  away  with  on  his  return  from  Stank'y  i''ulls. 

J.  S.  J. 

Mr.  Bvnnijs  Lmj. 

Jidji  11///. — I  struck  camp  early,  and  startetl  alonjj;  the  bank  of 
Aruwimi.  I  soon  found  out  why  I  had  not  taken  this  ntad.  livery 
village  has  been  burnt  down,  and  everything  destroyed.  Kh'jihants 
are  very  numerous  here.  New  roads  have  lieen  made,  the  old  ones 
destroyed ;  but  after  an  hour's  mait.h  I  came  on  Mr.  Stanley's  road. 

W.M.  BoNNV,  Commanding  Adnincc  Parti/. 

July  12//i.— -Made  a  long  march,  taking  tliree  days'  manioc  to 
enable  me  to  pass  througli  the  forest.  The  Arabs  wlio  joined  witli  the 
Zanzibaris  deserted  after  leading  us  an  hour  on  the  wrong  road,  and, 
blocking  up  the  right  tmes  in  several  i)laces,  ran  away.  I  found  riglit 
rtad,  and  continued  my  march  until  mid-day.     Camped  in  forest. 

Wm.  Boxny,  CommandiiKj  Advance  Parly. 

July  15th. — I  arrived  at  Banalya  at  altout  10  a.m.,  after  a  march 
of  four  dayii  and  four  hours  froni  where  I  last  saw  ]VIr.  Jameson. 
Nothing  worth  noting  occurred  on  the  13th  and  11th  instant. 
Abdullah,  the  head  man  of  this  village,  treating  me  very  kindly, 
giving  me  a  large  house,  rice,  fish,  and  bananas,     (^amp  (piiet. 

W.M.  BoxNY,  Command'uKj  Advance  Party. 

July  16th. — Some  of  Muini  Sumai's  Manyuema  came  in  to-day. 

Wm.  Bonxv,  Commandbvj  Advance  Paity. 

The  dates  17th,  18th,  and   I'Jth   have  been  already  published  in 

Chapter  XX.—"  The  Sad  Story  of  the  Rear  C<dumu." 

11.  M.  S. 


Jnly  '20th. — Sent  out  to  lieadmeu  to  try  and  get  more  loads.  1 
tind  I  am  short  of  the  following  loads,  viz.,  «  bags  l)eads,  Hf  brass 
wire,  10  sacks  of  hkfs.,  '.)  bales  Zanzibar  cloth,  5  loads  of  powder, 
10  sacks  rice,  1  sack  cowries ;  total  17  loads. 


f  p  * 


K 


'^m 


r.42 


IS   T) A 11 K EST  AFKK'A. 


I  cliKcovereil  that  the  man  who  sliot  the  Major  ik  named  Raiiga, 
and  is  a  headman  cliarpied  with  the  care  of  ten  h)ads.  He  has  fled  to 
Stanley  Falls  with  Muini  Sumai. 

Wii.i.iAM  Bonny,  Commnuifintj. 

Jnljl  2'2iiil. — ^It  has  lieen  raining  now  thirty-six  hours.  Mr. 
Jameson  arrived  to-day.     Camp  (j^uiet. 

William  Bonny,  Commanding. 

Jul II  2oth. — iVIr.  Jameson  left  here  for  Stanley  Falls,  taking  with 
him  the  late  Majors  ett'ects. 

William  Bonny,  CommamJintj. 

Jnlij  27 fh. — The  Soudanese  paraded  to-day,  without  being  asked, 
and  said  they  wished  to  speak  to  me.  They  said — "  Wo  wish  to  light 
the  Manyuema ;  we  are  waiting  for  orders,  and  are  ready  to  light."  .  .  . 
I  think  they  are  now  ashamed  of  their  conduct  on  the  I'Jth  instant  in 
not  following  me  when  called  upon. 

William  Bonny,  Commanding. 


Following  from  Mr.  Jameson  : — 


"  Ciunp  in  Forest, 

"Jitl!i2m,  1888. 


"My  dear  Bonny, — Wo  have  been  doing  good  work,  marching 
eight  hours  yesterday,  and  nine  and  a  half  hours  to-day 

"Met  Muini  Sumai.  He  was  on  his  way  back  t;)  Banalya,  having 
been  pursuaded  to  return  by  other  Arabs  coming  from  Stanley 
Falls. 

"  Muini  Sumai  told  me  that  one  of  Sanga's  women  was  beating  the 
drum  when  the  Major  came  up,  and  the  Major  went  to  the  house 
saying  '  Who  is  that  ? '  Sanga  says  he  tliought  that  the  Major  was 
going  to  beat  the  woman  as  he  had  beaten  the  man  the  day  before, 
and  BO  fired  at  him.     He  is  at  Stanley  Falls. 

"  Yours, 

"J.  S.  Jameson." 

August  Int. — I  raided  the  Zanzibar!  houses  to-day,  which  resulted 
in  my  getting  ten  pieces  of  cloth. 

William  Bonny,  Commanding. 

August  2/  '/. — Empty  Eeinington  box  found  in  forest.  A  Zanzibari 
was  found  in  i)ossession  of  forty-eight  hkfs.,  being  part  of  stores  lost 
on  19tb. 

William  Bonny,  Commanding. 


'i'. 


liiir^ 


Mii'ii 


APl'EXDIX. 


r>4S 


August  C)th. — Tlie  natives  caine  lust  nij^lit  and  stolo  a  caiKio  from 
our  gate,  ami  not  two  yards  from  a  Sou<laneso  sentry.  1  tined  the 
thren  Soudanese  sentries  eacli  f  1  for  neglect  of  duty. 

William  Bonny,  C<>mmau<Uuij, 

August  Htlt, — ALout  10  p.m.,  hearing  an  unusual  noise,  I  got  up, 
and  discovered  that  it  proceeded  from  aliout  100  to  150  canoes 
knocking  togetlier.  The  natives  were  in  force  across  tlie  liver,  and  1 
soon  posted  my  men.  The  natives  observing  our  movements  returned 
up  river.     No  shot  was  tired.     I  want  to  make  friends  with  them. 

William  Bonny,  Commdudlug. 


August  \1tli. — The  Manyuema,  tlirough  Chief  Sadi,  ])r()Uglit  me  a 
present  of  15  lbs.  of  wild  jiig  meat.  I  have  had  no  meat  since  25th 
July. 

William  Bonny,  Cimmanding. 


inalya,  having 


August  Will. — T  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  Jameson,  now  at 
Stanley  Falls,  in  which  he  states  that  my  letter  of  the  lUth  -Inly,  IHHS, 
was  lost.  It  was  addressed  to  ]\[ons,  Baert,  Stanley  Falls,  announcing 
the  death  of  Major  Barttelot  to  Tippu-Tib,  and  enclosed  one  to  Sir 
Walter  Barttelot,  Bart.,  IVI.P.  Tippu-Tib  has  tried  Muini  Sumai,  and 
finding  him  guilty,  has  torn  uj)  his  contract.  Muini  Sumai  has  to 
return  all  rifles,  Arc.  IVEr.  Ward  is  at  Bangala  with  letters  from  the 
committee,  which  Jameson  has  ordered  to  be  sent  uj).  Tippu-Til) 
has  agreed  to  hand  over  Sanga,  the  murderer  of  the  INlajor,  to  Jameson 
for  justice.  The  state  officers  claim  that  power,  and  will  try  him,  as 
Banalya  is  within  their  territory. 

William  Bonny,  Coinmandiug. 


August  17th. — Mr.  Stai-ley arrived  hereabout  11  a.m.  this  morning 
in  good  health,  but  thin.  He  came  by  water  with  about  thirty  canoes, 
accompanied  by  about  200  followers.  Some  of  whom  are  natives 
belonging  to  Eiuin  Pasha. 

I  briefly  told  Mr.  Stanley  tlie  news,  handeil  to  him  elever  letters 
addressed  to  himself,  and  four  addressed  to  Emiii  Paslia. 


Bain. 


W.  Bonny. 


August  ISth. — A  Manyuema  admits  to  Mr.  Stanley  that  he  liad  two 
bales  of  Zanzibar  cloth,  and  knew  a  man  who  had  a  bag  of  l)eads, 
taken  from  me  on  the  19th  July.     Mr.  Stanley  advised  the  head  iuan 


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JN  DAliKEST  AFltlCA. 


to  return  the  goods  to  inc.  Kinianga  bronglit  two  half  ba!ea  of 
Zanzibar  clotli,  l)eing  part  of  the  stores  h)ote(l  on  the  19tli  July.  A 
receipt  was  giveji  to  him.  I  received  a  letter  dated  August  12lh, 
Stanley  Falls,  from  Mr.  Jameson.  Muini  Sumai  came  in  and  saw 
Mr.  Stanley. 

William  Bonny. 

Aminxt  19//t.— Muini  Sumai  has  now  returned  all  rifles,  revolvers, 
and  ammunition,  besides  to])  of  tent. 

William  Bonny. 


•H-  -! 


i.  ■  : 


•;  ■ 


AiK/unt  20th. —  Soudanese  and  Zanzibaris  paraded  to-day  of  their 
own  accord  before  Mr.  Stanley,  and  complained  to  him  that  they  had 
been  badly  treated. 

The  following  is  from  Mr.  Jameson  : — 

"  Staiiloy  Falls, 

'^Augitst  12,  18SS. 

"  My  dear  Bonny, — The  Expedition  is  at  a  very  low  ebb  at 
present,  as  I  think  you  will  acknowledge.  No  head-man  will  go  in 
charge  of  Manyuenia  although  I  have  done  all  in  my  power  to  get 
one.  Tippu-Tib  .aid  he  would  go  for  £20,000  paid  unconditionally, 
and  said  further  that  if  he  met  with  any  really  sui)erior  force,  or  sav 
his  men  threatened  with  any  serious  loss,  he  would  return.  It  is  not 
likely  that  the  Committee  would  agree  to  this  proposal.  Secondly,  ho 
proposed  for  the  same  sum  to  take  the  loads  via  Nyangwe  and 
Tanganika  to  Kil)oro  in  Unyoro,  guaranteeing  first  to  pay  for  all 
loss  of  loads.  Secondly,  to  deliver  all  loads  at  Kibero  in  Unyoro 
within  six  months  of  date  of  starting.  Thirdly,  after  delivering 
loads  at  Kil)ero  will  look  for  Stanley.  But  if  war  between  Unyoro 
and  Uganda,  could  not  guarantee  delivery  of  loads  at  Kil)ero.  I  had  a 
final  interview  with  him  last  night.  I  t(dd  him  that  Mr.  Stanley's 
very  last  orders  were  to  follow  the  same  road  he  had  taken.  Major 
Bartteh>t's  intentions  were,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  to  continue  on  that 
road.  IVIajor  Barttelot  wrote  to  Mr.  Mackinnon  to  say  he  had  started 
on  that  road.  The  rejjly  of  the  Committee  could  not  have  l)een  to  go 
by  another,  or  we  would  have  received  it.  Emin  Pasha's  last  state- 
ment was  to  the  effect  that  if  he  were  not  soon  relieved  he  would  put 
himself  at  the  head  of  his  men  and  try  and  get  out  via  the  Congo. 
That  Emin  Paslia  had  rec^eived  tlie  messages  which  Mr.  Stanley  sent 
from  Zanzibar  telling  him  his  route  would  be  by  the  Congo.  That 
did  he  start,  the  Congo  would  without  doubt  be  the  route  he  would 
choose  to  come  out.  And  that  finally,  in  the  face  of  all  this,  I  could 
not  go  by  a  new  route  unless  ordered  to  do  so.  Tip2)u-Tib  then  said, 
'You  are  riglit.'  I  then  t(dd  him  that  as  regards  our  old  route,  bo 
could  not  get  mo  a  head-man  over  the  Manyuoma,  no  matter  what  I  did 


APl'EXDfX. 


54; 


to  induco  them.  He  said  lie  would  conimaud  them  liiniKelf  for 
£20,000,  yet  told  me  that  if  auy  Kerious  less  was  threatened  to  his 
men  he  would  turn  back.  I  replied,  '  You  will  accept  no  less  a 
sum  than  £20,000,  and  that  unconditi<tnally.*  Many  of  the 
Manyuema  openly  avow  their  intention  should  I  go  without  a  head- 
man from  you,  they  will  proceed  a  certain  distance,  and  when  they 
come  to  a  g(K)d  village,  throw  down  our  loads  and  begin  ivory  hunting. 
(This  Tippu-Tib  acknowledged.)  Therefore,  if  I  start  from  here 
without  a  head-man  it  might  \)e  fatal  to  the  whole  expedition. 

"  The  only  thing  left  for  me  to  do  now  was  to  get  a  canoe,  and  go 
to  Bangala  at  once.  Read  the  Committee's  reply,  and  if  it  was  to  the 
eft'ect,  go  on  at  all  hazards.  Then  I  would  take  thirty  or  forty  loads 
to  be  carried  by  the  men  Tipj)u-Tib  is  g(ting  to  give  me  to  replace 
those  of  Muini  Sumai,  bring  Mr.  Ward  with  me,  as  in  case  the 
Manyuemas  chucked  their  loads,  there  would  Ije  one  of  us  who  might 
get  back  with  the  news,  and  bring  no  headman.  I  shall  have  plenty 
to  do  with  the  Manyuema.  Return  here  at  once  in  the  Stanley 
Steamer,  which  will  be  at  Bangala  immediately  after  I  arrive  there, 
and  start  at  night  away  again.  If  the  rei)ly  of  the  Committee  would 
justify  my  stopping,  knowing  all  I  do,  I  would  send  Ward  with  a 
telegram  at  once  to  Banana  by  same  canoes  I  go  down  in,  return  in 
the  Sfanlei/.  go  up  to  you,  and  all  men  and  loads  would  be  sent  to 
Yarukombe  on  the  Congo.  Tippu-Tib  guarantees  that  he  will 
dismiss  his  men,  and  keep  them  close  to  the  Aruwimi,  and  should  the 
reply  from  the  Committee  he  to  still  go  on,  on  either  route,  he  will 
have  them  all  collected  in  a  few  days.  There  is  no  one  to  go  down 
but  me.  Were  I  to  wait  the  answer  of  the  Connnittee  here,  then  if 
we  started  at  once  I  would  have  no  loads  to  rei)lace  those  lost  at 
Banalya,  and  Ward  could  not  come  with  us,  and  if  I  thought  right  to 
stop  and  send  a  telegram,  a  very  serious  delay  would  accrue  in  Ward's 
starting  with  it. 

"  What  I  wiiL^h  you  to  do  now  h  to  stop  at  Banalya  until  you  hear 
from  me,  which  oaght  uj  be  in  three  weeks  or  a  mouth. 


"  If  we  have  io  come  down  to  Yarukombe,  the  thing  will  bo  ti 
make  Zanzibaris  believe  that  we  are  going  to  Zanzi])ar,  then  there  will 
not  be  many  desertions.  Tippti-Tib  has  found  oiit  the  refuge  of  the 
deserters.  It  is  at  Yatuka,  Said  bin  Habib's  place.  He  lias  sent 
men  to  catch  all  who  are  there.  Daoud  was  captured  at  Yumbuya 
with  the  Major's  sack  of  cloth  with  him.  Pieces  of  our  cloth  are 
being  brought  here  to  Tippu-Tib  from  villages  all  over  the 
country. 

"  Yesterday  Sanga  (the  murderer)  was  tried  before  Tippu-Tib  and 


VOL.    I. 


.J  .1 


■f-_  -?., 


rA(\ 


IN  DAllKEST  AFniCA. 


the  Belgian  Resilient.     He  was  found  guilty,  and  shot  immetliately 
alter  wards. 


"  My  hopes  soinetimes  have  l)eon  raised  to  the  highest  i)itch,  and 
then  thrown  to  tlie  ground  the  next  moment.  Wlien  Tippn  Tib  said 
he  would  go  for  £20,000,  I  t(dd  him  I  did  not  think  the  Committee 
would  give  it,  but  if  he  would  give  me  certain  guarantees  I  would  pay 
half  the  sum  myself  as  a  8ub8crii)tion  to  the  Expedition.  But  after 
what  lie  had  said  no  one  would  take  him. 

♦  •  *  ♦  *  « 

"  You  remendier  that  in  camp  I  had  serious  thotight  for  reasons 
you  know  of  not  bringing  Ward  ;  but  if  we  do  start  this  time  without 
any  head-man,  it  is  most  necessary  that  there  should  be  three  of  us. 
1  assure  you  that  his  coming  will  not  in  the  least  interfere  with  your 
command  of  the  Zanzibaris.  And  now,  old  man,  good-bye,  and  God 
bless  you. 

"  Very  sincerely  youi-s, 

'•  James  S.  Jameson." 


J  i 


-  ;  !ii 


Copy  of  pencilled  remarks  and  calculations  made  in  i)resence  of  Major 
Barttelot,  June  24th,  1887,  when  he  demanded  further  light 
npon  his  duties,  and  regarding  Tippu-Tib.  Fourteen  months 
after  it  had  beeu  handed  to  Major  Barttelot  it  was  restored  to  me 
by  Mr.  AVilliam  Bonny.  It  was  copied,  and  the  document  was 
returned  to  him. 

"Str.  5i/(t»/r//,  let  us  assume,  arrives  here  in  August,  M-.  Stanley 
hopes  to  be  at  Nyauza  same  date.  Ho  stojjs  two  weeks  with  Emin 
Pasha,  say  to  1st  September.     Septeml)er  and  October  to  come  back. 

"  So  you  have  got  seventy-fcmr  days  with  550  loads  ;  you  have  155 
carriers,  besides  two  garrisons  of  fifty  men  each,  to  occ>ii)y  ends  of  y«)ur 
days'  march. 

4   trips    to    make    6 
miles  forward,  8  trii)s 


Going  6  miles  per  day. 

155  loads 

"                            »»                  5>              • 

.     155     „ 

6                            .»                  «              • 

.     155     „ 

^                           J»                  »             ■ 

.      155     „ 

\  to  make  1  day's  jour- 
'  ney  for  a  caravan. 


"  Therefore  in  seventy-four  days  you  will  have  made  nine  marches 
forward  nearer  to  us. 

"  If  Tipi)u-Tib  sends  400  men  with  your  208  carriers  you  can 
march  with  all  goods  towards  Muta  Nzigt.  Then  I  shall  meet  yi.u 
thirteen  days  from  Muta  Nzige." 


Al'l'ESDlX. 


647 


LiRT  OF  Stores  lamle<l  at  Yambuya  Camp,  Aiigunt  14tb,  18H7,  per 
B.B.  Stanley  froi;i  Leo)>ol(lvillo  : — 

100  easew  gniiiM)\v(ler. 
12!t     „       Keniingtoii  rifle  cartridges. 
10     „       i»ercnHKioii  fajJHi. 

7  „  biHcuits  (ship). 
2  „  Madeira  wiiio. 
2     ,,       8nvolist. 

Ill  bales  clotli  (assorted). 
38  sacks  beads. 
13     „       cowries. 
20     „       rice. 

8  „       salt. 

1     „       empty  sacks. 

26  loads  of  brass  rods. 

27  „       brass  and  iron  wire. 
1  case  tiuware. 


493 


List  of  Stores  left  at  Yambuya  in  charge  of  Major   Bartielot 
June  28th.  1887  :— 

2  boxes  general  and  private  baggage — Mr.  Stanley. 
29     „       Remington  rifle  cartridges. 
38     „       Winchester         „         „ 
24     „      Maxim      „         „         „ 
24     „       European  provisions. 
10  loads  ofticers'  baggage. 


15 

brass  rods, 

1 

tobacco. 

1 

cowries. 

12 

rice. 

7 

biscuits. 

1 

salt. 

3 

tentp 

167 


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■■^jye 


o 


Klk 


y 


Kiibufd 


T'ai_'ang^. 


0' 


0 


B 

—A 


B 


A.       L    /^  O  T. 

^  Bocnsempla  (ftoijje  not  m(u  irf) 
I     L    A^N     G     A 


■XT  ,       ,    \Tihinna 
Yakanda  -%„ 

r"  aiigalta 

Bokakafj 
;/(•»«  looft.t' 

•"""^  ••'■"•  (|i&/r./-«.„,/,.,WJe 


c^"  S^ipasrtko  (Gnut  trommrhiv) 

mo  ft.  o 

VUlagia  in  fmiriit  (of^th  sMw  af  rii: 

Y     A    P^O     X     G    A 

JA'iirr  soo  ij.ls.  triiU',n  fl  deep 
rent  ''ii  villrn  jier  liour 


Trns  i. 


Low  iMiid,  ■oiiany  btnatl  cnrks 


o 


.J-f''        'Atom  ydK.  wide     • 


'.oVul 


u 


K       U^-'M       IT,    ^TI(*'<'mttM. 


ItapiilH  • 


Blaclt  !'■ 


/     \  ■ 
W  »  V  u    r  II      /       t    „ 

■'  A  i>Kaiikorf 


"6i^B  wmf'^^''^''^''' 


^: 


^'^  /KibmiH  la.  \  A 


,Ainu  Nyaan 


WfirU  Hide,  .n  ft  dvep 
J  mHea  per  hour 


.  farms  ( 

V)uUilatir}^gQrouna\80-iQ  ft .  atnve  river 

Jiirer,  w  yds.  wide 
soft,  deep 


ntyj''"^-  \  Orenfelt.Jan.ms. 
abov€\the  sea  )  j      t        * 


-    I 

A  MAP  OF 

THE  (IIIILVT  FOREST  REGION 

SHOWING   THE    ROUTES   OF   THE 

EMiN  PASHA  KHLIEF  EXPEDITION 

From  the  River  Congo  to  the  Victoria  Nyanza 
BY  IIENUV  M.  STANLEY. 


Scale,  20  English  Miles  to  1  fnch-M, 267,200 

50 


Epplish  Miles. 

20  '=      3©  40 


60 


Not,...  -Mr.  Stan'rVs  ,,!,.s,tv„IIo.,.s  for  l..,m-ltu.l..  for  tlir  ni..uth  ..f  tli,.  Aniwinii  ,hi  1  r,.r  Va.n 
^>"y:\<  '  n-t  ;ht1v,-  umll  t:.-  ..up  ha  i  l„-,M-o.istrurf,l ;  a.vur-llm-l.v,  th,.  i..sili„M  r.f  V.u.ilmva 
Mo...  1„.  Hhlltrd  5  inlmitrs  t..  tlu'  w.st,  .-.ml  tho  Kmrst  folMt  .,f  .' ruwlnil  nwmtli  .li.mM  Iip 
^  lilt.'.!  .1  iiilinitrs  t(.  till'  ■■••i^f.  Appl.vliiur  tlir^,.  corrrotlons,  tlu'  .llstanc..  UvUvrvn  Uu-  ..vtri'iii.. 
/MMiils  will  l„.  r,,„,i  I  t.>aKri.(.  with  Mr.  Stuiil.-,  's  .■stlmutf  In  iss^iof  ■•„lM.iit  '.Hi  Kiik'IIsIi  Miles  " 


'V/     s  ^V:Vtombiiy'^  Klljimycf 
*K.wanjawiJ%\  1^1rom1)nka 

~    V^^aruruinla's 


.     ^ 


Viuakyao//         ■^*..  -^  ^'^'t 

'if,        ■ 


Marlnge  "ff   ^,, 


^ 


K  A  S  E  R  A 


Steep  ban 


:?^4' 


:^/«. 


4*    /fLow       *>- 
*       "  banks 


-Jl     (.Coal  found,  StanUi) 


,— ^'Sytooft.wiile 

/^/Katmbu  I. 
soo  ft.  wide  t^f  jt^ 


^<^ 


f'-T-'      -  ®      rt  Klsanga  Sangia 


/<  Simba  Rukura 


S:  MPIKA  IRLA  ND 


V  Kiuibia'u^i 


\iIutako    Jreyiiina     __^,-- 


24^ 


Ijon^itiule    East      25^    of    Greenwich 


,\UraHg-i     A. 


."»**!i.;f " 


2(; 


r*. 


Kanjebe  I. 


<y, 


\,/\Ji'anr  Stpiiiigu   < 
'        •'■]aooo  yilH.  irlde 

■^^I'dfinm  hi.  _       ' 

j^'h'i'  '''It- 

i       ^ 

^s^rt  Catanwt  ( 

■  Vl 


A^"^ 


i^ 


■e-' 


y 


vv\'^ 


<*- 


Vt*. 


vt 


r 


KiiiJATOU 


V-_-. 


=  <  ... 


r^^^^i^^ -FrKfT^^^'^"^' 


.:\Mwana  Ntaba  : 


^IkKauk 


ore 


,.,„.4. 


.  ,Ainu  Nyiiim 
)rabaY|  Klboygo  '' 


*( 


.X 


/I 


./ 


— i_ 


rest 


^^ ""^-^^ifl   LVliVR-       ,.. 


■I  Jill 


■JiK 


f{ 


S'K  A  S  E'B  A 

->     (Coat  found,  StanUi)  \ 

I'Ide 


ta 


-—-■'-—» 


ura 


.t4 


p    Meyiinia 
IHJfi     ^. 


'      '•^. _. 


N^ 


N 


\ 


V_ 


^-^ 


■^*'^-4-' 


^■^  .-^ 


•^<.*-*-, 


2('; 


yv 


w^s 


<  \)l>.\'ri;ih  t  ,    l^^UO,    W.^'    <h:u'l«'H    S*'i'il.i 


1  ;  ■!•    K     >^(i  M  - 


tIntiUu  II  . 
4,72t 


MVt,ja. 


;'  OZO  LA  KE 

(Jicjjorted  by  Arabs) 


v«v^^ii 


! ^,. 


10,000  ft.     x- '<»•><'■ 


i'  Akanyaru    ;  /*^.a, 

i'  Zafr<.  U  G  A 

^1  (Alextmdra) 


^.// 


'« 


>' 


si 


( 


29^ 


\i\'--' 


m 


'/A  i  '  •         ■ 

'('  the  sea 


'^t  Ohse'-Vittion  ^Ul 

'v  G  A  !'%/'',,►*,.•  •::.-•  ''■  '"^v 


\  1 


^ 
d 


Ki'za 
Capital  c'/  (>'t«t  t/sui 


j;  \)  (Jfaiifroroljfo'ji;!  \  ^ 

J!      .       >--,_^  .  *      ;    '  Kahlrlsal  ^     5  ^ 


4 


ii    .^ 


«i — 


A     It     o 


'•^^^■:^lL:a  ^<.J^/r 


\-\ViJWa 
NT" 


STRUThEnS  &  CO.,   ENQH  S  AND  PR  S,   N.  V. 


